


Changes

by NerdyMama



Series: Changes [2]
Category: Pocket Monsters: Sword & Shield | Pokemon Sword & Shield Versions
Genre: Alcohol, Childbirth, Daddy Issues, Drama, Drunk Sex, Drunken Flirting, Drunkenness, Emotional Manipulation, F/M, Feelings Realization, Flashbacks, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, Guilt, Intimidation, Kidnapping, Masturbation, Mental Health Issues, Mystery, Pregnancy, Pregnant Sex, Romance, Sexual Tension, Trans Beet | Bede, change, episiotomy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-26
Updated: 2020-10-06
Packaged: 2021-02-28 19:00:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 164,609
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23332021
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NerdyMama/pseuds/NerdyMama
Summary: One night, one error of judgment. Now Leon and Sonia's friendship is set to change forever.
Relationships: Dande | Leon/Sonia, Hop/Yuuri | Gloria (minor), Kibana | Raihan/Nezu | Piers (minor), Rurina | Nessa/Yarrow | Milo (very minor)
Series: Changes [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1727812
Comments: 78
Kudos: 426





	1. Head Out Of The Sand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She couldn’t keep burying her head in the sand forever, hoping that if she did it would not be happening. Life didn’t work like that.

If anyone had ever asked Sonia where she saw herself in a year’s time, she would probably claim that she was going to be continuing her work as a Pokémon professor, making her grandmother proud while teaching her young assistant and protégé Hop everything he needed to know to follow the same path. Perhaps she’d possibly be able to find the time for a relationship if a young person who took her fancy ever managed to stumble into Wedgehurst, but she wouldn’t pin all of her hopes on it, no matter how nice it would be.

 _This_ , however, was not the direction she had ever pictured her life taking. It threw everything she thought she’d known about herself out of the water and into the gaping maw of a Sharpedo.

She’d found herself spending many late nights in the lab, pouring over her research, cleaning the place, studying the paperwork she was filing for next year’s Gym Challengers who would no doubt be coming to her lab to choose their first Pokémon… anything she could think of, really, to take her mind off of what was happening now. It wasn’t working.

She couldn’t keep burying her head in the sand forever, hoping that if she did it would not be happening. Life didn’t work like that.

So, on that one particular mid-morning at the lab, Sonia takes a deep breath and turns to Hop. The young lad is eagerly flicking through one of the many books the lab housed, his eyes engrossed in the words within, a small crease between his eyebrows. The thought enters her head, unbidden: _His brother does that too, when he’s concentrating._

She can see she might need to grab his attention, so she clears her throat and the teen looks up, “What’s wrong?”

“I… need to pop out this afternoon,” she’d thought about what she was going to tell him a lot, especially since Hop’s a smart kid and he no doubt would ask questions, but she’d decided that he deserved honesty from her. Or some of it anyway.

“Oh, what for?” he began, eyes curious, still with that crease in his brow. _Again just like him._

Sonia shrugs as nonchalantly as she can, “I just need to go for a check-up. Nothing important or worth worrying about,” she can see he’s still looking at her, still curious, so she pulls out the trump card, “Ladies’ problems, you know.”

His mouth forms an ‘oh’ while his cheeks heat slightly, “Alright then. Will you be gone all afternoon?”

“Hopefully not,” she smiles, turning away, “But if I’m not back by four, could you lock up the lab for me?”

He nods quietly, cheeks still pink, “Anything else you need doing?”

“Nah, you’re good. Thanks, Hop.”

When the afternoon rolls around, she hangs up her treasured white lab coat and opts for her regular brown jacket, pulling it over her shoulders before shouting a quick goodbye to Hop, who reaffirms his promise to lock up if it should come down to it, and Sonia knows that depending on what she finds out today, it may well do. Stuffing her hands into her pockets, she makes her way towards Wedgehurst train station. She’d opted to head towards Motostoke for this, since while Wedgehurst was bigger than Postwick, it was still a relatively small community, and people there definitely knew the region’s current professor and granddaughter of former Professor Hazel Magnolia all too well.

The trains are relatively quiet, with only a few trainers dotted in seats throughout her carriage. She spots a young girl stroking her Pikachu’s head while sitting opposite a boy who is excitedly chatting away with an Eevee on his lap, and she cannot help but flash back to twelve years ago, when a young red-headed ten year old had boarded this train without an adult companion for the first time in her life, her chest full of trepidation and excitement and her Yamper curled up on the seat next to her while her best friend opposite bragged about how he’s going to be the Champion.

Those simple days seem so long ago now.

The journey to Motostoke is short and mercifully lacking in any Wooloo. She didn’t particularly fancy having to either wait for the Pokémon to be urged off of the tracks by train staff and she definitely didn’t fancy a trip to the Wild Area today, even though she had left early just in case of such complications. Since she arrives in Motostoke early, she takes some time to browse through the boutique and spies a cute dress that she _so_ wants to buy but ultimately decides against.

After all that, she arrives twenty minutes before her allotted appointment time at the clinic, and enters the building trying to fight back the wave of nausea that’s beginning to overcome her.

“Sonia Magnolia,” she tells the receptionist – a blonde woman with sky blue eyes which seem to light up in brief recognition, “I have an appointment?”

The receptionist taps a few words into her computer before she smiles at her, “Okay, if you’d like to take a seat, Dr. Aiba will be with you shortly.”

She nods, and takes a seat in the far corner away from as many curious eyes as possible. She isn’t quite _as_ well known in Motostoke but people who have read her book will surely recognize her, especially given that her appearance or style hasn’t changed across the year since she’d written it. Luckily, the clinic is almost empty, which is somewhat strange given that Motostoke isn’t a small town like Wedgehurst.

“Miss Magnolia?” the owner of the voice is a young woman in a blue dress, with short dark hair that barely reaches her chin and similarly dark eyes hidden behind square spectacles. Sonia takes a deep breath and climbs to her feet, following the young doctor into her assigned room and closing the door behind her.

“Please take a seat,” the doctor says, gesturing towards a blue chair on the other side of her desk, “What can I help you with?”

Sonia sits, and tries her best to ignore the blatant yet slight elevation in her heart rate, “Yes, well… I,” she fiddles with her fingers, the way she used to do when she was twelve and she first realized she’d developed a crush on a certain boy, “I would like to know how to go about… getting in contact with maternity services.”

The lady glances at her computer and asks the question so easily it’s almost as if she’s asked thousands of times before – and she probably has, “Are you pregnant?”

“Yes.”

* * *

It was supposed to be a fun night out to celebrate Nessa’s birthday and given all of the hard work she’d been putting in at the lab lately, how on earth could she have possibly said no? This was one of her best friends after all, it would have been a really arsehole thing to do to turn her generous invitation down.

She’d chosen a beautiful green dress which barely reached the top of her knees (her grandmother had always vehemently disapproved of her wearing anything shorter than that and for an easier life, she’d agreed not to), with a gentle slope down into her chest (again, she had to think of not getting an earful from Gran) and small silver studs dotted down her neckline. A small silver chain with a diamond pendant adorned her neck, with matching diamond stud earrings (hoops are too risky, according to Gran; she claimed they could catch onto something and rip her earlobes out). Matching pointed green shoes clacked on the floor, and although she deduced her feet would probably hurt later on, she didn’t really have anything else that matched the dress she desperately wanted to wear, so she’d decided to deal with that as and when it happened. She’d also decided to wear her hair down – at the lab it made the most sense to tie it up so that it didn’t get in her way when she did her research, but for an occasion like this, she thought it would be nice to make a change.

She’d booked a hotel room in Wyndon, since that was where the party was happening and given that it was on the other side of Galar, it had made sense to spend the night there rather than catch the train at goodness knew what hour of the morning it may have been before she’d decided to leave, as she had no intention of leaving early, especially when the following day was a Sunday anyway. Thinking on it, she perhaps could have gotten away with wearing something a little bit more adventurous, but given that Gran had figured out how to use social media now, thanks to Hop, she would have found out eventually, and then an earful would certainly have followed.

Nessa had hugged her when she’d arrived, gushing over her dress and hair, and Sonia had thrust the Hulbury Gym Leader’s gift into her hands with a cheeky smile. She’d gotten her a beautiful blue shimmering scarf for the winter months ahead; she might not be as trendy or as fashionable as Nessa, but she knew enough about her dear friend to know what sort of things she liked, and she’d been correct in her assumption as Nessa gasped at the sight of it and held it to her chest like a precious prize, before hugging her again in thanks.

Everybody was there (well, almost everybody - Gloria had always said Bede hated parties). Bea sat in at the end of the bar on her own with a hand enclosed around a glass of wine, trying her best to ignore the somewhat unnerving stare of the much younger Allister, who wasn’t allowed to sit at the bar due to being too young. Kabu was also at the bar, equally silent while Milo talked his ear off, probably about Wooloo or farming, not that the older man has much knowledge on those things. Melony and Gordie were engaged in an awkward conversation – clearly it had been a while since the mother and son had had any interaction that didn’t consist of them yelling at each other or battling on Circhester’s pitch, but at least it looked like they might _finally_ be working on patching up their brittle relationship. Raihan’s voice can clearly be heard echoing across their hired room, as he’s clearly trying to insist he would win the next battle he had with Leon, all while Piers rolled his eyes.

She’d bought herself a bottle of vodka (because hey, why not get sloshed while she has the opportunity?), then went to join, Hop, Marnie and Gloria at a table separate from the older crowd. The three were not quite yet of age to drink, though Hop would often be quick to remind Sonia back at the lab when she’d teased him that he had less than a year left to wait before she couldn’t call him a kid anymore.

Gloria raised her eyebrows, “Getting started early?”

“I really don’t get much of a chance to have a drink,” Sonia replied with a shrug of her shoulders, “I may as well grab the opportunity while I have it.”

Gloria didn’t argue with that, but she did allow an impish grin to creep across her face, “A little unprofessional of the Galar region professor, isn’t it?”

“Hey, it’s a private party,” she replied, “and you only live once.”

“True.”

They spent some time catching up with each other – Gloria talked about her new apartment in Wyndon and how she was getting on in training Eternatus, Hop talked about a new research project he was hoping to undertake. Marnie briefly gave an update on how Spikemuth was doing in midst of new plans being announced to help breathe life into the city. It was nice, to spend time amongst these young teenagers who were taking their first steps into adulthood. Eventually though, the night drew on, with Marnie rejoining her brother Piers (“before he starts gettin’ too jealous of all the attention Raihan’s givin’ the ex-Champ”) and Hop and Gloria walking out hand in hand, something which Sonia doesn’t miss, much like she doesn’t miss the almost pathetic yet insanely cute puppy dog glances Milo has been casting over at Nessa all night so far.

Then _he_ sat with her.  
  


* * *

“Have you taken a test?” Dr. Aiba asks, pulling her glasses down her nose slightly.

Sonia nods, “Yeah, about a week ago now. It had the little cross on it so… I don’t need to take another test, do I?”

“No, the tests that are sold in shops are usually very accurate so it’s safe to assume it’s correct,” she taps some more on her computer keyboard while Sonia’s heart sinks, “And do you remember roughly the date of your last period?”

“Not exactly, but I know it’s been at least six weeks since my last one.”

The doctor nods. More tapping on her keyboard before she turns to face her again, “Based on what you’ve told me, I can roughly assume you’re at least five or six weeks pregnant, give or take a few days. I will refer you to a midwife who can oversee your care for the duration of the pregnancy. Would you prefer to be seen in Wedgehurst?”

She bites her lip, because while it would be easier, it would also mean other people in Wedgehurst would soon pick up on it, which would mean it would only be a matter of time before _he_ picks up on it. _But won’t they pick up on it soon anyway? I’m not exactly going anywhere. It’s not like I’m going to move away to keep this a secret or anything. Might as well rip the plaster off now…_

“I suppose that’d be fine,” she says, though she still feels nervous at the prospect of him finding out, because it is going to happen whether she likes it or not, and then their relationship would never be the same again. They can’t go back to being just friends after this.

The doctor starts talking to her about what she is and isn’t allowed to do now that she’s expecting, gives a basic rundown on what she can expect (and some of these things she’s already experiencing, like the frigging sickness and the aching in her breasts), while scribbling a recommendation for pre-natal tablets that she should take to ensure her body gets all the nutrients and vitamins it needs.

“You should receive a letter through the post within a few days,” Dr. Aiba tells her as she sees her out the door, “Good luck with everything and don’t hesitate to make another appointment if something happens.”

Sonia thanks the doctor and leaves, feeling numb. The train ride home is uneventful, though certainly a little more packed than it was on the journey there. Still no Wooloo, thankfully. She’s back by three PM but she has no desire to return to the lab, no desire to face Hop or anyone really for that matter, so she slowly makes her way back home, plastering a smile on her face for the people who greet her on her walk.

When she gets home, Gran is surprised, “You’re home early.”

“Yeah, Hop’s shutting the lab today,” she replies, again trying to opt for a nonchalant tone, but she has to wonder if it’s fooling Gran. She is extremely intelligent, after all.

If she’s gathered anything odd about her granddaughter, she doesn’t say anything about it, “Granddad's cooking tonight. Potato and leek curry.”

“Sounds smashing,” Sonia sighs, ignoring the pit in her stomach which knows she’ll most likely chuck up at the sight of it, followed by Gran asking _again_ if she’s alright, and demanding to know why she hasn’t been to the doctors yet, for goodness’ sake.

“Look, I’m going to go upstairs for a bit,” she says after a brief yet deafening silence – _maybe Gran already knows?_ “I’ve got some stuff I want to sort out for the conference. Better to be prepared, you know?”

Gran doesn’t reply, but there’s a knowing look in her eyes which unnerves Sonia but she opts not to think of it, instead turning to go upstairs.

It isn’t until she gets into her room that her walls come down and she collapses on her bed, tears spilling down her cheeks because she has ruined absolutely everything and she knows that everything is about to change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I ship these two so much, and I wanted to attempt to write something for them.  
> Given the whole COVID-19 thing that's going on, I'm currently shielding as a vulnerable person so am not able to do much, not even with my own family, so it's nice to take the time to write again.  
> I'll update as and when I can, I don't really keep any sort of schedule, and while there is no explicit-ness yet, I plan for there to be later on. Hope you enjoy. Stay safe!


	2. Confusion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Raihan shrugs, “You two were always hanging out on weekends after you stopped being Champion. Guess this means you really fucked up.”
> 
> “Thanks,” Leon retorts sharply; he doesn’t need to be told this, he already knows.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has some explicit content. Just a quick warning. :)

“Charizard, one more time! G-Max Wildfire!” Leon commands, with the fiery Gigantamaxed Pokémon responding almost instantly, unleashing a stream of flames from within it to consume its opponent. Duraludon, looking just as mighty in its own Gigantamaxed form, braced itself.

“Stone Edge!” Raihan calls, his face wild and filled with an expression of excitement, and the steel dragon responds, summoning a plethora of stones which miss its opponent and cause Raihan to let out a swear. The fire consumes Duraludon, and with the smoke from the flames covering the arena, neither of the two men need to see what’s happening to know what will happen next. A large crash, followed by a victorious roar from Charizard, makes it all too plain that Duraludon is down and Charizard the victor (and now returning to its regular size).

“Good battle, mate,” Raihan recalls Duraludon inside it’s Poké Ball, smiling down at it before pulling out his Rotom Phone to take a quick selfie. He always did that when he lost, to remind himself of where he can do better. It’s a trait Leon finds admirable.

It won’t stop him from being a cheeky sod and reminding Raihan of the score though, “Eleven-nil, now.”

“Yeah,” Raihan replies with an indignant laugh, “But I’ll beat you one day, you can count on that, and I’ll bring down Gloria too for good measure.”

Leon laughs as well, for the first time in a while: Gloria’s a damned good trainer and if _he_ can’t even beat her… “I’d like to see you try.”

“Oh, it’ll happen, just you wait and see.”

The laughter begins to dim into silence and a rather uncomfortable one to boot as it’s only a matter of time before the subject gets brought up again. After all, this was Raihan, not only his rival, but one of his best friends, and the only person who knew exactly what the hell was going on his head right now as a result of what had happened a few weeks back. Leon doesn’t feel comfortable enough to mention any of what had happened to his mum, as he knows she’ll either chide him for his carelessness or embarrass him, perhaps both. Hop isn’t aware either, and he wants it to stay that way – he has to work with Sonia after all, and he doesn’t want to put his little brother into that awkward position. Mustard, his old mentor, is too far away on The Isle of Armor (or at least that’s the excuse he tells himself for not wanting him to know). The other Gym Leaders aren’t options, as they’ve got their own lives to lead, he isn’t _as_ close with any of them and Nessa in particular has always had a closer bond with Sonia anyway. There’s also the matter of not wanting the press to get any idea on what happened, not just for his reputation, but for hers as well.

So he’d turned to Raihan. He’s not the most ideal choice, but he has kept plenty of his secrets before and he’d returned the favour. When he’d first told him what he had done, Raihan had guffawed and said something along the lines of “it was bound to happen sooner or later” which Leon didn’t completely understand at the time but he thinks he _might_ be starting to.

Because now he cannot stop thinking about her, the way her nails lightly scratched down his back, the way her shimmering hair splayed out over the pillows in her hotel room, how he was able to cup her small pert breasts in his hands perfectly, and the way she’d felt when he was inside of her, how she’d tightened around him, how she’d moaned his name and cried out when she’d reached her peak… Both of their inhibitions had been completely thrown out of the window thanks to the alcohol, but he remembered enough to know that he’d had sex with one of his best friends that night and he’d loved every minute of it, and knowing that made him feel guilty, especially given her response to him after they’d woken up the next day.

_“This was a mistake.”_

He wasn’t sure if it was. It hadn’t initially felt like a mistake, but then he wasn’t sure if he felt anything immediately after other than _‘oh shit’_. She’d requested he close his eyes and not look at her while she went and got dressed, then she’d walked out of the door with a quick apology and a promise to call him later. When she eventually did call a few days later, she asked him to not mention it to anybody, to pretend it never happened, followed by yet another apology and no contact from her ever since (which was a big deal given that they’d grown quite close after he’d lost his title).

Well, he’s already broken the promise he made. Because now he spends every night in his bed, with her plaguing his thoughts, and he needs to tell somebody or else he’ll go mad wondering what the hell he should do to make this right, because this is one of his best friends and he doesn’t want to mess this up for her more than he already has, but he also wants her in a way he never thought possible before then. Granted, he’d always thought she was attractive but… _damn._

The silence has been kept for long enough, Leon thinks, so he turns back to his rival, who has a smirk spread across his lips, “Thanks, mate. For the battle. Took my mind off of a lot.”

“Yeah, you know I’ll square off with you any time,” Raihan replies, his hands sliding behind his head while he leans back against the stadium wall, “Still no word from her?”

Leon shakes his head, “No. Nothing.”

Raihan shrugs, “You two were always hanging out on weekends after you stopped being Champion. Guess this means you _really_ fucked up.”

“Thanks,” Leon retorts sharply; he doesn’t need to be told this, he already knows. He takes a deep breath before speaking again, “I just want to know if she’s alright.”

“Then call her,” Raihan counters, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world and as if it’s probably magically going to make everything better when it most likely won’t, “If she isn’t going to make contact, then grow some balls and do it yourself.”

Leon knows that’s probably what he should do, but there’s something inside of him holding him back. _What if I fuck things up even more?_

Still, he can’t spend forever on tenterhooks like this, so he nods slowly before getting to his feet, deciding it’s long past time he began to make a move home, “There’s a conference soon in Wyndon, for professors and scientists and stuff. Maybe I’ll see if I can catch her there.”

“Good luck with that. I take it you’re off then?”  
  
“Yeah, it’s starting to get late,” he responds casually, though deep down he knows that when night falls that’s when he thinks of her the most, “I’ll talk to you later.”

“Right, see you.”

He makes a quick stop at the Hammerlocke Pokémon Centre first (mercifully he doesn’t need to go looking for it, as it’s in a practical spot right outside the stadium). After such a hefty battle, it’s only fair to give Charizard and the rest of his team a much needed check-over and rest before they take to the skies. The friendly nurse gives him a sweet smile as she does so, her cheeks tinged pink, before she slides his Poké Balls back over towards him with a chirpy update informing him that all is well and that they’re good to go.

Upon stepping outside, he quickly releases Charizard once again from his Poké Ball, and the flame Pokémon lets out a proud roar as soon as it does. Some people passing by jump a little at the sound but upon facing him release whatever tension they’re holding and begin to wave and call to him in excitement and recognition. He might not be Champion any more, but he’s still a much loved personality of the Galar region, the owner of the Battle Tower and unofficially the chairman of the Galar Pokémon League (all of the Gym Leaders had agreed he’d be the best fit for the role, given his many years of experience as the Champion and the fact that what was formerly Rose Tower is now in his possession). He puts on a happy act, waves back at the crowd and thanks them for all of their support before mounting Charizard’s back and taking off towards Wyndon.

He much preferred the feeling of flight over catching a train, and it was very near impossible to get lost with his beloved partner guiding the way. Granted, he could catch a Flying Taxi, but there’s nothing quite like feeling the wind in his hair, an experience he can only get from flying like this. He pats his partner’s shoulder, and Charizard grunts in reply, knowing exactly where they were going to go.

* * *

When he’d sat with her on Nessa’s birthday, it had been because she was sitting alone. Hop, Gloria and Marnie had vanished to goodness knew where, and heck, he’d always liked chatting with her anyway. Raihan had just gotten done bragging about how he was going to beat him in their next battle in front of Piers (not that the former Spikemuth Gym Leader looked very impressed).

He’d slid into the seat next to her, she’d smiled that gorgeous smile of hers and they’d talked for hours about a variety of topics; how the Battle Tower was doing, his training regime, her research, the fact that she’d been invited to attend a big fancy conference with some other big shot professors whose names he’d only read in magazines. He’d never felt so proud of her, when her face lit up as she spoke eagerly about how she’d already been approached by both Professor Sycamore of Kalos and Professor Kukui of Alola about comparing her notes on Dynamaxing with theirs on Mega Evolution and auras, things that he’d heard of but didn’t quite understand the complexities of because he’s not a professor and he’d never really set foot in Kalos or Alola.

Barely two years prior, she’d been a mere assistant to her grandmother, not knowing where she herself wanted to go in life, and he’d been the undefeated Champion of Galar for twelve years. Then everything happened and everything changed. Now she’s a big shot professor herself and an expert on the history of Galar and he’s no longer undefeated. Head of the Battle Tower and unofficial chairman, sure, and he _does_ have parts of his life back that he hadn’t had in years thanks to Rose and Oleana but…

Part of him still missed it. Or at least the good bits. Being able to refer to himself as undefeated. The cape which had been buried at the bottom of his bedroom cupboard since the whole Sordward and Shielbert debacle. The cries and cheers of the fans (he still got that, but to a lesser extent). The exhilaration that came with defending his title.

He told her those things that night, when the alcohol had begun to kick in. He could trust her not to laugh at him or to berate him for feeling those things, even though when he’d first became Champion he’d left her behind and barely kept in contact with her across the years they were separated and he would have perhaps understood her being angry. He told her that too. He asked her why she wasn’t angry with him.

“I was at first,” she replied thoughtfully, finger gently stroking her chin after she took another swig of vodka, “Really angry, actually. But I think as I got older I realized most of that anger wasn’t really directed towards you. I was angry with myself.”

He was astonished, “Why?”

“You knew what you wanted,” she began again, “Always, even when we were kids. Me, though? I had no idea. Even on the Gym Challenge, I knew I couldn’t match up to you. I don’t think I was a _bad_ trainer, but I wasn’t Champion material. Opal beating me really hammered that home. I didn’t feel like I was cut out for it.”

He remained silent, though deep down he wanted to tell her that he’d been so disappointed when she’d dropped out, and that he’d enjoyed battling with her, even if it always resulted in a victory for him, because she always pushed him to think more strategically, something he’d carried forward with him. He probably wouldn’t have gotten as far as he had without her, and that wasn’t exclusively down to her and Yamper making sure he didn’t get lost.

“Gran didn’t help,” she continued, “She was always telling me how you were moving forward, making such huge strides with your life while I was just sat at home, not doing anything, never pushing myself. It’s another reason why I went along with researching the history of Galar… I wanted her to be proud of me for once. Then maybe I’d be proud of myself too.”

Leon laughed, “I thought you loved all that stuff.”  
  
“I do!” she replied quickly, “I find it all really fascinating, and I love learning more new things. But…” she shrank in on herself slightly, “I don’t know. The upcoming conference worries me a bit. I’ve not been in the role as long as some of the other professors. Even Professor Oak is coming to this thing! _Professor Oak!_ Only one of the most esteemed professors on this planet!”

She fell silent and chewed her lip before she continued, “I can’t help but think Gran should be going instead. She’s got so much knowledge and experience behind her that I just feel inadequate.”

“You’re not inadequate Son,” he interrupted, because he hated seeing people he cared about tearing themselves down, “You’ve been at this for, what? Just over a year now? And you’ve already come so far. You’ve got a book out, your own lab assistant, and you’re smart as hell. You have _got_ this.”

He leant his hand across the table and gave hers a reassuring squeeze and a grin. He didn’t miss her face flushing, though he initially assumed that’d probably been a result of the alcohol. He couldn’t even remember how much they’d drunk at that point. A bottle of wine, two or three glasses of vodka, a shot of… something, he couldn’t remember what it was called. The flush that was on her cheeks made her look beautiful though. More beautiful than usual.

“You’re drunk,” she giggled, her free hand moved towards his face and pinched one of his cheeks, “You’re all flushed.”

“And you’re not?” he teased back, starting to move the hand that was over hers and tickle her soft skin. She laughed as she yanked her hand back and waggled her finger at him, an unspoken reminder that she didn’t care for being tickled, even if it _was_ by someone who’s known her since she was a child, someone who could memorize all of the things she loved and who she felt so comfortable around.

Eventually, Leon broke the next silence that had followed, “I’m still sorry I left you behind.”

She smiled, her eyes glistening under the lights, “I’m sorry I couldn’t be a better rival.”

“Hey, you weren’t a _bad_ rival!”

“Oh, _thanks!_ ”

“I mean, you’re not on _Raihan’s_ level,” Leon quickly interjected, because he did not want her to come to the wrong conclusion about what he’d said, “But I still learnt a lot from battling with you.”

“Like how not to lose?” she asked darkly, and he sensed he was heading into tricky territory so he made the decision to tell her what he’d thought about earlier. Maybe she did really need to hear it.

“Actually, you made me think a lot more about what I was actually doing, rather than brute-forcing through things. It really helped me develop as a trainer and I doubt I’d have gotten as far as I did without what I learnt from you,” he took another deep breath and put a hand on his chest, “I was gutted when you dropped out. Properly gutted.”

She remained silent, her eyes wide and shocked at what she’d just heard. Perhaps it was the alcohol that had made him feel like he could tell her anything, because he didn’t think he would have admitted it as freely if he were sober, but he followed up on his words regardless, “I really missed you.”

She looked at him, blinked, before a small smile crept back onto her face and a small giggle escaped her, “Wow. You really _are_ drunk.”

“I mean it,” he persisted, grabbing her hand again, “You’re brilliant, Son. Stop doubting yourself. You can do _anything._ ”

She looked a little awkward, her cheeks flushed a little more, but eventually she smiled wider, clambered to her feet with a slight wobble and jerked on his hand, “Well, if I can do anything, then I want to dance. Right now.”  
  
“I don’t dance very well,” he warned her, as he too got to his feet unsteadily, wondering again how much he had drunk in units because he didn’t _think_ he would be a lightweight yet he was certain he wasn’t sober any more. Tipsy, at least. Possibly drunk. He’d never really gotten drunk before (another thing that Oleana would stress is that it would be unsightly for the Champion to be anything _but_ sober) so he didn’t know what to compare it to.

“I’ll teach you,” she chirped, tightening her grip on his hand as they wobbled out onto the dance floor, no doubt both looking like utter fools, “I’m a good teacher.”

He grinned as he allowed her to lead him, “You’re a lot of things, Sonia Magnolia. A lot of brilliant things.”

* * *

He has a lot of things to think about when he returns to his humble abode. He returns Charizard to his Poké Ball before he steps into the building his flat is situated in. He fumbles with his key in the lock to get inside, hangs his cap up on the coat hook in the hallway and makes his way to the kitchen. A short rummage in the freezer later brings him a microwave dinner, one of many in fact, and he knows he really should get his arse down to the shops tomorrow to get some proper food in as he’s running short.

A quick six minutes later and the dinner is ready. Another twenty minutes and he’s eaten, scraped any leftovers into the bin along with the worthless plastic, and washed the cutlery.

He flicks the telly on, trying to find something, _anything_ to watch that might be able to take his mind off of Sonia, because now she’s in his head again, looking as she did that night, hair down, curvy and her skin as soft as a peach to the touch, and it seems like no matter how much he tries to divert his attention onto whatever crappy programme is on (one of those rubbish soap operas), he cannot shift her.

Unbidden, he remembers her lips meeting his for the first time in the entirety they’ve known each other and thinking about how damn soft and gentle they were, remembers the intense fluttery feeling in his stomach – like a Butterfree beating its wings, remembers how her body seemed to fit perfectly against his somehow and feeling like he would never want to be anywhere else. He recalls them stumbling into her hotel room, how things had gotten heated, how she had tasted of vodka and lemonade, how she had urged him out of his clothes before throwing her own aside, how he’d explored every inch of her body with his mouth before he’d entered her and _oh Arceus she was so tight._

His hand is now gripping and pulling on his cock, trying to emulate as best he can how she’d felt then, and he feels that familiar guilt rising up inside of him again because _Sonia is his friend_ and friends don’t think about each other like this, especially not when they’ve known each other as long as _they_ have…

It doesn’t take him long to reach his peak, making a sticky mess on his trousers. He quickly removes them and tosses him into the washing machine ready to be washed in the morning, then promptly cleans his hands with soap and warm water.

This has been the routine for most of his nights since then. Come home. Eat. Try and fail to distract himself. Wank over mental images of Sonia. Clean up. Go to bed feeling like a pervert. He doesn’t know how much longer he can go on like this and he knows the only thing that could possibly cure him of this is her and yet he knows he may also only make things worse, not only for himself, but for her as well.

Still, maybe Raihan’s suggestion had some merit. He’d left her alone for this long and he still wants her as badly as he did soon after their somewhat drunken one-night stand (looking back, he’s still not entirely sure how drunk he was, but evidently drunk enough to decide sleeping with his best friend was a good idea). Perhaps he should go and talk to her, clear the air between them. Perhaps that would help.

So he pulls up the conference information on his RotomPhone and makes a mental note of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been spending a hell of a lot of time writing this, mainly because I'm shielding and have nothing better to do so I just want to say thank you for all of the comments, it really spurs me on and encourages me to keep going!


	3. Nessa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Her bottom lip wobbles and she can’t help but burst out crying, falling forward into Nessa’s arms as the other woman curls her arms around her back, trying everything she can to soothe her, “Shh, it’ll be alright.”  
> “No it won’t,” Sonia chokes out, because it honestly feels like her whole world is collapsing around her, “It’ll never be alright again because I’m so fucking stupid.”

The letter had arrived a week later, much to Sonia’s surprise, with only the basic information stating the fact that she was now under the care of Galar’s Maternity Services and had been assigned a midwife who had arranged an appointment for her the day following.

So this is where she’s at now, sat in a small waiting room at a small clinic in Wedgehurst, with only a handful of other women there who she is sure probably know her as they are staring at her with slightly widened eyes – at least until she shoots them a glare and they quickly glance away to talk to their significant others or stick their nose back into whatever magazine they’d brought along with them.

She feels nauseous, but she’s pretty sure it has nothing to do with the buttery toast she’d attempted to eat that morning. The realization is hitting her hard that she is really here and that she is really going through with this.

_I must be crazy._

She’d considered abortion briefly, because of course she felt like she had to weigh up all of her options. She’d almost went through with it too, having looked up information on how to go about getting one and even memorizing what she was going to say when she got there. But when she’d picked up the phone and began to input the number, the guilt had flooded her chest and no matter how much she’d tried to logically reason with herself that it probably would be for the best, her brain had kept coming up with equally logical counter arguments. The same thing happened when she considered adoption after she’d relented and ruled abortion out.

It wasn’t like she was opposed to having children, it’s just that she always thought that if it did happen, it would be years down the line, after she’d found the right person and (maybe) gotten married and not right now as a result of a one-night stand with one of her best friends who lived on the other side of the damn region who probably only fucked her because he’d either felt sorry for her or because he was horny. Perhaps even both.

She felt awful for thinking of him like that, but really, what could he _ever_ see in her?

“Sonia Magnolia?”

She glances up to see a lady with incredibly short pixie-styled brown hair and plump cheeks smiling at her and gesturing towards the door. With a sigh, Sonia gets to her feet and follows her in, trying her best to ignore the temptation to snap at the other women in the room who are staring at her again, because one of them is whispering out of the corner of her mouth to her partner, and she knows it’ll only be a matter of time before all of Wedgehurst knows that Professor Sonia Magnolia has gotten herself up the duff, which means it’d only be a matter of time before she faces an upcoming lecture from Gran about the importance of practising safe sex, as well as awkward questions from Hop. Whether at her lab or at home, soon there’d be no escaping this.

_I should’ve gone to Motostoke. Or anywhere but here. I’m not sure I want people to know about this yet._

The midwife’s name is Lina and she’s incredibly friendly. She spends some time going over all of the details that Dr. Aiba had already covered but in a little more detail. She uses some weird protractor-shaped card to make her own personal estimate on how far along she is and comes to the same conclusion as the doctor had. Sonia is also relieved to learn that most cases of morning sickness don’t last past the first trimester (though given that she’s been sick in the afternoon and evening, she thinks the term is woefully inaccurate, and when she says so, Lina completely agrees with a tinkling laugh).

“Anyway, I’ll need to take a blood sample, and you’ll need to have an ultrasound when you’re at twelve weeks.”

While Lina’s tying a strap tightly around Sonia’s arm, Sonia herself mentally does the maths and she instantly wants to throw up again, as that’s the week she’s due to be in Wyndon for the professor’s conference. Unless by some form of a miracle, Leon decides to head elsewhere that day, they’ll be in the same city. Granted, it’s a big city and she’s sure she could easily avoid him, but she knows she’s told him about this conference so there’s every chance that he might turn up. She doesn’t think she can deal with that.

She decides to be honest, “I… I think that's the week I’m going to be in Wyndon on business. Is it possible to get it done at any other time?”

Lina frowns as she finishes prepping her needle and turns to her, “Sharp scratch, hun,” she says and Sonia lets out a small gasp as the needle is inserted into her arm, “And not ideally, no. If it’s not possible to rearrange your trip, we can always arrange for you to go to Wyndon Hospital for that particular appointment instead. It wouldn’t be a problem.”

Sonia was afraid she might say that, so she relents, “Yeah. I can’t… rearrange. It’s very important.”

“Oh yes, the professor’s conference!” Lina suddenly exclaims, “Of course, I’d _completely_ forgotten that was happening. You’ll be there giving a talk on your Galar history and Dynamaxing research, won’t you?”

Sonia nods stiffly, unable to shift the feeling in her gut again that perhaps this would be more up Gran’s alley, that perhaps she’s not ready for this, being held up to the same levels of regard as some of the other attending professors.

_“You’ve got this.”_   
_“Stop doubting yourself.”_   
_“You can do anything.”_

Lina smiles, “I’ll be watching the livestream that day, provided no emergencies crop up of course. I’m really looking forward to it.”

“You follow Pokémon research?”

“Oh yes,” she chatters, removing the needle from Sonia’s arm and pressing a cotton wad firmly to where the needle had just been, “Don’t get me wrong, this job is what I’ve always wanted to do, and I’ve always been better at dealing with people, but I still find it all so _fascinating_. I truly admire your grandmother and you for all of your hard work.”

Sonia doesn’t feel like it’s completely deserved but she can’t help feeling flattered. While applying some tape to the wad to keep it in place, Lina continues, “I must admit I was quite excited when I learnt I had you as a patient!”

“Mm,” she mumbles, because she doesn’t know what to say and she hopes – _prays_ – that Lina doesn’t start wondering about the identity of the father or connecting any sort of dots to try and guess who it might be.

Lina seems to pick up on the awkward energy emanating from her because she puts a hand on hers, “Don’t worry. I won’t delve into any of your personal business and anything you do say to me will be treated as strictly confidential.”

“Thanks,” she breathes out, the relief almost crushing.

Suddenly, it’s back to business, Lina’s hand is off of hers and she’s scribbling down some notes onto a piece of paper which has been hole-punched and attached to a variety of others, which she knows include her details at the front. She finishes, folds the papers back over, and hands them to her, “These are your pregnancy notes. Take them with you to every appointment, be it with me, the hospital or your doctor. I’ll arrange an appointment with you to see me when you're sixteen weeks, since you’ll be seen at the hospital while having your ultrasound. And,” she gestures towards her arm, “try not to lift anything heavy for an hour so you don’t bruise so badly.”

Sonia nods and utters a quick thank you and goodbye before leaving. As she leaves the building, she spies the women again, eyeing her like a piece of meat, a juicy little bit of gossip for their women’s circle later on. She so badly wants to tell them to keep their noses out of her business, but then reasons that it wouldn’t stop the nosey bitches spreading the news that Professor Sonia Magnolia was seeing a midwife, that Professor Sonia Magnolia is _pregnant_ of all things and she isn’t even married, isn’t even in any known relationship so what the hell she must get up to her in spare time is anyone’s guess…

The lab is shut today. Once she’d learnt she had an appointment, she’d called Hop and told him to take the day off and he was only too eager to comply (it gave him a chance to catch up on his Pokémon training). She considers going there, locking herself up inside until she feels like coming out again, but she knows that won’t do anyone any good, and it would only be a matter of time before the news would reach Hop who would use his spare keys to get in and check on her, and most likely throw awkward questions at her that she cannot deal with answering right now. That, and Yamper has been cooped up all morning, so it’d be nice to get him out for a couple of hours before she goes back home because by then shit will have well and truly hit the fan.

So with that in mind, she quickly scampers home, keeping her head down because it feels like everyone is staring at her and judging her. Luckily, when she gets back, there’s no sign of Granddad either, so she whistles for Yamper, who comes charging straight down the stairs, wagging his tail wildly.

“Do you fancy a trip to see Nessa?” she asks softly, leaning down to stroke her beloved Pokémon’s soft fur, and he yips excitedly in reply.

With a smile, she stands back up, “Come on then, let’s go catch a train.”

* * *

“You are both _so_ shit-faced right now,” Nessa laughed as she approached them on the dance floor, knocking back another glass of wine like it was nothing. Sonia stumbled slightly in an attempt to regain her balance. Her head had never felt so woozy and yet her heart was hammering and it had been such a while since she’d last felt so _alive_. Leon quickly grabbed her around the waist, because she’d clearly looked like she was about to topple over. Perhaps she might have done.

“’M not that bad,” Sonia giggled in reply, “Jus’ buzzed.”

“Yeah, and you _don’t_ always get the giggles when you’re pissed.”

It was true, Nessa knew all too well what Sonia got like when intoxicated. While they didn’t always have a lot of time to spend together lately, what with her research and Nessa being a model on top of Hulbury’s Gym Leader, on those occasions when they could make time to go out and hit up the town, they always made sure to make a wild time of it. Sonia liked to think she still maintained a good sense of self-control and decision-making even under the blur of alcohol.

She hadn’t drunk that much more than she usually did on nights out. Perhaps a couple of extra glasses of wine here and there, some vodka and lemonade because she liked to balance things out with sweet tasting things from time to time. Maybe she’d had _a little_ more than usual, but fuck it, it was her friend’s birthday and she was having the time of her life with her best mates.

Nessa turned to Leon, “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you drunk, Mr. Ex-Champ.”

“Firs’ time for everything,” Leon replied, his arm still around Sonia’s waist, probably because he was also a little wobbly on his feet, but truth be told, Sonia didn’t mind all that much.

“Anyway, I’ve got to go and check on the other guests,” she said, a sly smirk creeping across her face, “Behave yourselves.”

With that, she walked away, hips swinging slightly as she made a beeline toward Milo, who had since been abandoned by Kabu and was now sitting at the bar alone. Sonia turned back to Leon, who still hadn’t let her go.

“She fancies ‘im,” Sonia tittered, not minding one little bit that he was still touching her because he was warm and was keeping her upright, “Milo. Always goes on abou’ how he’s her rival but she looks at him like…” she starts gesturing her hands wildly, trying to think of what words she wanted to say.

“Like he’s a piece o’ meat?” he asked in an attempt to finish her sentence, his grip around her waist tightening.

“Yeah, a bit like tha’,” she was slurring some of her words by this point, and perhaps that should have been the indication that she needed to stop or at the very least slow down, but she really didn't want to. She snuggled up against him, feeling the warmth of his chest radiate through her, “You’re warm.”

“Yeah, you too,” he replied before he seemed to realize he’d been holding on for just _a tad_ too long and promptly let her go with a mumbled apology. Sonia wasn’t sure what had possessed her in that moment, but she grabbed his hand, putting it back around her waist, “Nah, I like this.”

So he held her. They probably looked stupid hanging around on the dance floor because they weren’t even dancing any more but they didn’t really care what anyone else thought. To be honest, everyone else was probably too caught up in other things and didn’t even notice.

“All we need is for ‘em to put a slow song on,” he said with a grin, his words slightly slurring as well. Sonia gave him a small slap on his chest, “Don’t give ‘em any ideas.”

Her hand lingered on his chest, as she turned in his arms, she couldn’t help but run her fingers upwards, embracing the soft fabrics of his shirt and trying to imagine what the hard chest underneath must feel like without it, “Mm, you been workin’ out?”

“Li’l bit,” he replied, not seeming to want her to stop whatever it was she was doing, “You like?”

“Mm-hm,” she murmured, “You look good.”

“You look _hot_ ,” he replied and Sonia giggled because if he was able to say things like that without even the slightest ounce of shame, concern or restraint then he was definitely, unquestionably drunk, “I mean, really-”

“Yeah, I know I am,” she responded, not at all bothered by the fact that he was tightening his arms around her waist.

“Hot as fuck,” he rambled, clearly uninhibited and not at all bothered by her interruption, “Always thought so. Even when we were young. S’a bit weird, thinkin’ that about your mate.”

“Nah, not really, I used t’think you were proper sexy,” she was just as uninhibited as he was, it seemed, because why the fuck not lay all her cards out on the table and tell him because come tomorrow, neither of them would probably remember any of it, “Used to really, _really_ fancy you.”

“D’you still fancy me?” he asked cheekily, and Sonia giggled again, running her hands up to his shoulders, “Mm, just a li’l bit.”

She suddenly hiccuped, and he laughed at her so she retaliated with another small slap (albeit accompanied by a laugh) which made her legs wobble again, “Shut up!”

At this point, he let her go, his face more flushed than it had been before, as if he seemed to have caught on to what he was doing, as if the sober part of his brain was trying to kick its way back out and take control of the situation, because he was looking at her strangely before he glanced at the floor, “Perhaps you’ve ‘ad enough?”

“Nah, I’m goo-whoa!” she fell forward, almost crashing into a nearby table. It would have been worse had Leon not grabbed her at the last second, pulling her back into him. Probably had the thought that she’d be safer with someone holding her upright, the cheeky sod.

“Alright, _fine_ ,” she sighed in reluctant defeat, “Maybe I’ve ‘ad a _bit_ too much.”

“More like _a lot_ too much.”

“You ain’t much be’er,” she jabbed a finger into his chest, “Look at you, all wobbly an’ shit, talking abou’ how hot I am.”

“Touché, d’you wan’ some water?”

“Nah, I jus’ need to go sleep it off,” she waved her hand indignantly, trying to ignore the way his brows are creased together in concern for her because he looked _so sexy_ when he did that, it was part of the reason why she always used to make time to watch his battles on the telly because he always made that face and it did things to her, things she’d normally be ashamed of when sober.

“A’ight,” he said softly, “’M takin’ you to your room though. Don’t want you fallin’ on that pretty arse and hurtin’ it.”

“My hero,” she fake-swooned. He took one last swig of his wine, emptying his glass, before he guided her towards the door.

“You’re still gonna have t’ guide me, though.”

* * *

It’s busy when she gets to Hulbury, as their market day seems to be on the same day as Wedgehurst’s. Not that she minds, because looking around the market might be good for her. Perhaps she can pick some special teas up that Gran goes crazy for and use that as some kind of peace offering, not that it would help much because Gran isn’t so easily distracted by material things. Still, it had to be worth a shot.

Yamper walks right alongside her, tongue lolling out and smiling at every single person that walks by, and then back up at her, and she can’t help but reflect on the fact that Yamper has been staying close to her a lot more than usual lately, making her wonder if her beloved little Pokémon could sense what was happening to her body right now. Could Pokémon sense pregnancy in a human? It’d be an interesting research topic: she makes a mental note of it.

She manages to find the teas her Gran likes and purchases them, along with a bag of Pokémon treats for Yamper and some incense. Then she decides to take a walk along the pier because the sea looks utterly gorgeous with the sun hitting the waves. She eventually finds herself at the lighthouse, and feeling tired, she decides to sit on a nearby bench. She lets out a sigh as Yamper jumps up and rests his head on her lap, his nose touching her belly.

 _I’m almost certain he knows_ , she thinks as she scratches behind his ears fondly, before she starts thinking about Gran again and what she’s going to tell her because she’s _going_ to need to do that. It’d be some form of a miracle if the former professor _didn’t_ pick up on any of the gossip that is no doubt starting to fly around her small home town, and she didn’t necessarily believe in pinning all her hopes on miracles.

“She is going to _kill_ me,” she says quietly, “I don’t know what I’m going to do.”

Then there’d be the matter of telling Leon, because she’ll have to tell him eventually. She can only avoid for him so long, what with Postwick being so close to Wedgehurst and the upcoming conference which she is almost certain he’ll try and find a way to come to, and even without those, he may try and call her because it won’t be much longer before his patience runs out, if it hasn’t already. When she does, that’ll be it, she imagines. He either won’t want anything to do with her, or he’ll make some excuse as to why he can’t be around. He’s already served his time helping in raising young humans with Hop, after all (even if the brothers are only six years apart) and the fact that he lives on the other side of Galar would make it almost impossible to maintain any sort of meaningful relationship, which he probably doesn’t want with her anyway.

She spends so long in thought that she’s almost caught off guard by a familiar cry of “hey, you!”

She glances up to see Nessa jogging over to her, looking like she was either in the middle of or finishing a workout. She smiles as she approaches, and breathless, says, “Budge up.”

Sonia scoots to the left to allow Nessa to sit, watching the Hulbury Gym Leader pull out a bottle of water and glug some down, “Didn’t expect you to be up here. You should have text me. I could have met you at the station.”

“It was kind of a spur of the moment thing,” she shrugs, “I had nothing else to do today and I didn’t really want to stay in.”

“Fair enough,” Nessa leans back and the two fall into silence. Sonia debates with herself as to whether or not she should confide in her – she _is_ her best female friend and would no doubt take the secret to the grave if she asked it of her (not that it’d be a secret for much longer) – but at the same time her stomach is twisting in an uncomfortable kind of fear. _If I feel this way about telling **Nessa** , what am I going to be like when I need to tell Gran? Or Hop? _

_Or Leon?_

“Listen, can I tell you something?” Sonia turns to face Nessa only to find that she’s not the only uncomfortable woman sat on this bench right now. Her friend is looking in her lap, her fingers twiddling and her feet shifting slightly. For Sonia, her own predicament is forced out of her mind temporarily.

“Of course, what is it?”

“I have a bit of a dilemma,” Nessa licks her lips, “You remember the party?”

“Yes…” Sonia replies slowly. She wants to say, _‘of course I remember the party, it’s all I’ve been able to think about ever since then’_ , but she manages to keep those words locked up tightly inside of her. After all, this isn’t about her at present so it wouldn’t be appropriate.

“Well,” Nessa began with a deep sigh, “After you and Leon left, Milo and I got to talking about some things. Just things, you know. Anyway, I asked him why he didn’t consider me a rival like I do him, and he said the same old shit, you know, he’s his own rival and all that.”

Sonia loves talking with Nessa, but on this occasion she wishes she would just get straight to the point, “Okay?”

“But yeah,” she cleared her throat, “Um, well, to get to the point, he also said he finds it hard to consider me his rival when he thinks of me like… well, you probably already have a rough idea, right?”

Sonia thinks she does, so she nods slightly, “And?”

Nessa’s lips thin, and, finally, after a bout of silence, she mumbles, “He asked me out.”

Sonia isn’t initially sure how she wants Nessa to react to this, but she’s always known deep down that Milo was sweet on her and Nessa totally fancied him as well, even if she didn’t like to admit it. Part of her wants to smile and congratulate her, but that’d be assuming Nessa even said yes in the first place, and if she’s here now, talking with her about this, then she clearly must have some doubts. So she opts instead to try and remain calm and level-headed instead of the squealing, joyful female friend, “And what did you say?”

“I didn’t,” she replied in a small voice, “I just kind of… left. Made an excuse and ran.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah.”

Sonia thinks for a minute because she knows what she wants to say, which is that at least Nessa didn’t go full on and sleep with him and wind up pregnant with his child, but that would be spiteful, and she still doesn’t know if she even wants to tell Nessa right now. Before she can say anything though, Nessa is speaking again, “I know we’d both had a bit to drink that night. Not as much as you, but enough that we were both a bit… out of it.”  
  
“You think that was the alcohol talking?”

“I can’t rule out that possibility.”

“So what do you want to do?”

Nessa sighs again, “Honestly, I don’t know. I was hoping you might have some suggestions.”

Sonia shrugs, because while this isn’t the first time the two women had gone to each other for love advice, it still wasn’t a common occurrence and heck, Nessa’d had somewhat better luck in the dating game than she had, even with how busy she got. But she’s expecting an answer, so she says the only thing she can think of, “You probably should just talk to him about it.”

Nessa grimaced slightly, “I had a feeling you’d say that.”

“It’s probably the only thing you _can_ do.”

“Yeah,” she groans, “I just feel like a right bitch for walking out on him. The worst part is, he won’t hold it against me either and I feel like he should.”

“He’s too sweet for his own good,” Sonia laughs, giving Yamper another scratch behind his ears, much to the little Pokémon’s delight, “But I understand why you feel that way.”

“Thanks, Son, I appreciate it.”

“No problem.”

Nessa takes another deep breath and climbs back to her feet, “Anyway, enough about my problems! Have you been to the market yet today?”

Sonia grins, because now they're back on their regular talking ground, “Yep, I’ve bought a few things already, they’ve got some pretty nice things today.”

“Fancy going to the cafe for something to eat?”

Sonia inwardly balks a little at that, but she manages to plaster a smile on her face because if she _doesn’t_ go Nessa will start to suspect something’s off, especially given that every time she comes to Hulbury they always eat there, so she outwardly smiles and nods, “Alright, I haven’t eaten for a bit.”

The two are at the cafe in no time, and all the while Sonia’s sat there she’s inwardly begging her stomach to stay calm and allow her to at least eat this one meal without making a spectacle of herself. When the food is brought over, Nessa inhales the smell joyously and immediately tucks in, while Sonia pauses. _No such luck. This baby must hate me._

Nessa glances upwards, her eyes narrowing slightly in concern, “Are you alright, Son?”

“Yeah,” she breathes deeply, trying to hold back what she knows is coming, “Just… need to pop to the ladies quick.”

Nessa is still looking at her strangely when she leaves in rather a hurry. She quickly pushes the door to the toilets open, finds an empty cubicle, falls down to her knees and _hurls_ , blinking rapidly to try and keep the sting of tears out of her eyes from the burning sensation that is quickly taking over her throat. She feels so _pathetic_ , just this _once_ could she not have reacted like this so she could have been able to enjoy a meal with one of her best mates?

“Sonia?”

_Shit._

Nessa is there and she looks worried. She quickly leans down, pulling her red hair in the ponytail from the side of her head backwards as another bout of vomit rises up from within her without warning and she’s back over the toilet again, coughing and gagging. Nessa’s other hand strokes her back gently, and despite not wanting to be caught in this position in the first place, Sonia can’t help but be glad she’s there.

Eventually she stops, and it’s a huge relief as she catches her breath. Nessa hands her some tissue, and she proceeds to wipe the vomit and tears from her face, while trying hard to work out what she should say, because this isn’t like her, she doesn’t really get sick like this (not in front of people anyway) and Nessa knows that.

So when she turns to face her friend, she knows she has to make a decision.

“Are you alright?” Nessa asks, clearly worried, “You look really pale and awful, have you not been well or something?”

She wants to say ‘yes’ but she knows if she does then she’ll only be delaying the inevitable. Her bottom lip wobbles and she can’t help but burst out crying, falling forward into Nessa’s arms as the other woman curls her arms around her back, trying everything she can to soothe her, “Shh, it’ll be alright.”

“No it won’t,” Sonia chokes out, because it honestly feels like her whole world is collapsing around her, “It’ll never be alright again because I’m so _fucking stupid_.”

“No, you’re not,” Nessa replies firmly, sounding a little cross, “Why on _earth_ would you say something like that?”

Sonia doesn’t reply, she’s too busy sobbing. Her chest feels so heavy, like her lungs are contracting madly under the weight of all the fear and anxiety that she’s kept bottled up so close to her chest but was now beginning to unleash. Nessa gives her a tight squeeze, “Hey, it’ll be alright. Look, I’ll go and pay and then you can come back to mine and we can have a nice talk, yeah?”

Sonia nods despondently, a cue for Nessa to get up and whisper “be right back” to her before leaving the toilets to go and pay for their meal (hers being left completely uneaten and Nessa’s barely eaten, which is a massive waste of money – something else she feels the intense need to apologize for). Sonia slowly and shakily clambers to her feet, and looks at herself in the mirror. She can see what Nessa means – she _is_ pale, and she looks ugly with mascara leaking all over her face, so she does her best to clear herself up as best she can, as she doesn’t really want to walk out of the cafe and across Hulbury looking like such a state.

Nessa returns and gently linking their arms, she guides her out. Sonia tries to look normal throughout the journey back, although she still sees a few people staring out of the corner of her eye, though that might just be because she’s with Nessa. Eventually, they arrive back at Nessa’s house and she lets them in, gesturing to Sonia to sit on the couch while she makes a cup of tea for each of them.

When she finally returns with said tea, she sits next to Sonia and places a hand on her arm, “Come on, what’s wrong? I’ve never seen you like this.”

Sonia feels the overwhelming urge to break down again, and while her eyes do begin to water, she manages to maintain enough control of herself to not completely lose her head again.  
  
“I’ve made a real mess of things,” she whispers, “Like a _huge_ fucking mess.”

“What is it? You know you can tell me anything,” Nessa squeezes her arm, which makes Sonia flinch slightly as it’s the same spot she’d had her blood taken from this morning and she’s convinced that it’s almost certainly starting to bruise there even in spite of her not lifting anything heavy.

Sonia takes a deep breath, “You won’t tell anyone, right? Not yet anyway? I mean it probably won’t be long until everyone knows anyway but-”

“I promise.”

She falls into silence, glancing down into her lap, trying to force the words to come to her lips for the first time, because while she’s mentally acknowledged it and replied to others’ acknowledgement of it, she hasn’t said the actual words herself and to do that means admitting for certain that this is all real and not a dream.

“Sonia? You’re starting to scare me.”

Another deep breath. She can do this. She needs to. There can be no turning back.

“… I’m pregnant.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi again, thanks again for all the lovely comments and for even reading this to begin with! It's making lockdown and shielding so much easier to bear. Stay safe, everyone!


	4. Got It Bad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things were going so well before that night, before things went where they did. Now he’s stuck here, at his home following a long day at the Battle Tower debating whether to send this stupid text to her, because it’s no longer a case of him wanting to be back in contact with her… he NEEDS to be back in contact with her, a realization that was late in coming, but better late than never.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sex scene incoming!

**Hi sonia are** **yo** **u ok, pl** **ea** **s** **e** **t** **e** **xt me back** _ **  
**_

Leon finishes writing the text for the eighth time and lets out a sigh, still completely unsure if he should send it. He doesn’t want to come across as too desperate, in case it frightens her off even more than she already is. Still, he feels like he can’t hang around for much longer either, as that could send the wrong message too; that he isn’t interested when he so blatantly is.

It’s taken him a while to come to the conclusion that he no longer sees Sonia as just a friend. The tricky part is, he’s not sure if it’s just _because_ he slept with her or if it’s been going on longer than that, and he still feels like that’s something he should perhaps try and work out before he sees her so that she doesn’t get the wrong idea and then think he’s only chasing her for sex.

When he stops and thinks about it, he doesn’t necessarily mind the thought of having a meaningful relationship with her. Granted, he’d never had any sort of meaningful relationship before ( _'_ _another one to thank Rose and Oleana for'_ he thinks bitterly), the only experience he’d had in that regard are the prostitutes that Rose would hire whenever he felt he was getting too distracted from what had been asked of him. Not that he’d particularly _minded_ those times but there was always something empty and fake about them which meant he never felt completely satisfied or even legitimately wanted, which only meant Rose would hire them more often, culminating in a vicious cycle.

With Sonia it was completely different. For the first time it had felt like somebody had wanted him – not simply because of his title or his money or because Rose said so – but every piece of who he was as a person, and that meant a great deal to him. Even though they were both drunk, it had felt like she’d legitimately meant all the words she’d said to him. After all, isn’t it true that a lot of truths come out when someone is inebriated?

Which is why it hurt more than he thought it would when the following morning she’d been so skittish and avoidant, making claims of their night together being a mistake. After she’d left, he’d questioned whether he felt the same and he’d spent the subsequent weeks after the fact denying that feeling in his gut which was shouting at him that no, he didn’t think it was a _total_ mistake (a bit of one, maybe, if only because they _were_ so drunk – it would have been nice if they had been sober to potentially eradicate any confusion on the matter, and then maybe she would have stayed with him).

The other issue is the fact that they’d known each other since they were children, and because of that, he had this thought in his head telling him that it’s strange to feel that way about someone he used to play with and think of in a platonic way. It’s almost like there’s a strange disconnect in his head between the cheeky little redhead from his youth and the beautiful woman he’s been spending the last few weeks fantasizing over.

When he stops and _really_ thinks about it, he remembers when he hit his teenage years and started noticing the opposite sex, he’d looked at her social media and noticed that she’d changed _a lot_ in the time that had passed between him becoming Champion and that point. True, perhaps that could have been a trick of the light or just _really_ good camera work, but it still had an effect on him because that had been when he started noticing the little things he’d missed before, like the way her red hair shimmered in the sunlight, her cheekbones, her eyes…

_Fuck, I’ve had it bad for her way before that night._

Perhaps that was the real reason he’d stayed away for as long as he had. There had been some contact between them after becoming Champion (not much and mostly over the phone) but after a certain point, he’d drifted away from her. His few and far-between visits to Postwick were spent with him focusing all of his attention on his family and never venturing over to Wedgehurst. It would also explain why when he _did_ eventually see her in person again, he was inwardly a bundle of nerves and why he’d started rambling on about rare, never-before-seen Pokémon.

He’d gotten better as they made more and more contact, in all fairness. All the lessons that had been drummed into him by Rose about how to deal with the press and the public had clearly had some sort of positive effect as he was able to have a conversation with her without making a complete idiot of himself. Then when he’d lost his title, he’d made it a point to spend more time with her because by then he’d _really_ worked himself up into feeling guilty over all those years when he never made any effort.

Things were going so _well_ before that night, before things went where they did. Now he’s stuck here, at his home following a long day at the Battle Tower (sadly without anybody being able to reach him as he really could have used a good battle to distract him if only for a little while) debating whether to send this stupid text to her, because it’s no longer a case of him wanting to be back in contact with her… he _needs_ to be back in contact with her, a realization that was late in coming, but better late than never.

Then it hits him like a bolt of lightning, and he wants to slap himself because why the _hell_ did he not think of this sooner?

He saves the text to Sonia as a draft (he might send it later if this doesn’t pan out), and quickly sifts through his contacts until he finds the one person who might have the best idea on how Sonia is.

He dials and mercifully it isn’t long until Hop picks up and his eager voice can be heard, “Hi, Lee! What’s up?”

“Nothing much,” he needs to be mindful of what he says so he opts to focus his attention on his brother first and besides, it would be nice to know how he’s been doing, especially since he hasn’t seen him since the party either, “It’s just been a while and I wanted to check how things are with you and mum.”

“Oh we’re fine! Nothing much new happening to be honest. Mum’s still really into baking, Nan and Granddad are doing their usual. How about you?”

“Me? I’m fine,” his little brother might be close to adulthood, but he still doesn’t want to weigh him down with his problems if he can help it, “The Battle Tower is running smoothly. Thrashed Raihan yesterday in a match. Usual stuff.”

“Nice!” Hop exclaims eagerly, “Maybe you and me can have a match soon? I’ve been training pretty hard.”

Leon smiles at that because Hop has definitely become as much of a rival to him as Raihan and Gloria are. The few matches they’ve had have been a lot closer than he’d expected, and even though he still ultimately comes out on top, he cannot deny Hop gives him a run for his money, “Yeah, that’d be good. How’s work at the lab?”

“Good, I’m learning a lot! Sonia says if I keep working hard like I am then it’ll only be a matter of time before I become a real professor!”

 _There’s my opening,_ “How is Sonia? I haven’t seen her in a while.”

“She’s been alright, a bit quieter than usual but I just assume that’s because she’s so focused on the conference she’s got coming up. Speaking of which, I’m going to be there too! Not, like, doing all the really big stuff, but just helping her out with some things.”

“Sounds good,” Leon mumbles, feeling his chance begin to slip away, “She… hasn’t said anything about me at all?”

“No, not a word,” Hop sounds confused, “Why?”

“It’s nothing,” he quickly replies and he hopes that he doesn’t sound suspicious, “We just haven’t talked in a while.”

“Well, if you want, I can pass a message onto her?”

 _No. Keep Hop out of this._ “It’s fine, I’ll send her a text when I get the chance,” he opts to change the subject again, “So maybe when you come to Wyndon we can have that battle?”

“Sure!” the young lad chirps and Leon breathes a sigh of relief as Hop seems to have taken the bait, “But I’m warning you, we’ve been working hard! I fully intend on beating you this time!”

“I can’t wait,” he smiles, “Anyway I’d better shoot. I’ll tell Gloria you said hi, yeah?”

“Yeah! Tell her I miss her!”

“Right, talk to you later, Hopscotch.”

He’s already hung up before his brother could reply (something he’ll probably apologize for later if it comes down to it) and now he’s back in the same place as before, wrestling with himself as to whether or not he should send that text since Hop hasn’t _really_ told him anything worthy of note regarding Sonia, just that she hadn’t mentioned him and for all he knows, that may well be normal for her in her working environment. He’s not so big-headed to think that he has to dominate or even play any role in her conversations.

His phone pings and he glances at it, his chest briefly filling with hope before it’s shot down.

 _ **Raihan:**_ **u called her yet?**

Lips thinning, he quickly types out a reply.

 _ **Leon:**_ **not yet**

About a minute passes before his phone pings again.

 _ **Raihan:**_ **get a move on u pussy**

He can’t resist making a quip because while he might be hopeless at recognizing how he’s been feeling, he sure as heck _has_ been able to recognize that Raihan's been showing off lately for a certain ex-Gym Leader.

 _ **Leon:**_ **look whos calling who a pussy**

**_Raihan:_ the fuck u mean?**

**_Leon:_ when ** **are you** **going** **to** **tell piers** **you** **want** **to** **bang him?**

**_Raihan:_ fuck off**

He can’t help but laugh in reply; he knows that whatever might be going on between Raihan and Piers probably extends to more than just sexual interest but he’ll gladly take any excuse to wind his rival up, and hey, it’s not like he’s denying it. But then it hits him that he might have gone too far so he decides to reply again.

 ** _Leon:_ soz but ** **yo** **u defo should tell him how** **yo** **u feel m8  
**

It takes a few minutes but another text eventually comes through.

**_Raihan:_ pot kettle black**

He grimaces because it’s true. This _is_ essentially the same advice Raihan has given him so it’s a bit rich of him. He’s just about to reply again when another message comes through.

**_Raihan:_ tell u wat, u call sonia and ill txt piers, ok?**

With that, he takes a deep breath, and quickly sifts back to the drafted text he’d written out for Sonia, and before he can begin to hesitate again, he taps send. Then he pulls up his conversation with Raihan again and sends him another reply.

 ** _Leon:_ i just t** **e** **xted** **her**

A few seconds later and he pings back.

 ** _Raihan:_ i said ** **2** **call her u pussy**

Leon rolls his eyes; there’s just no pleasing this man.

* * *

It didn’t take long before the two had found Sonia’s room, on the fifth floor. Sonia spent some time fiddling through her handbag before she yanked out the room key and jiggled with it in the door. She pulled it open, entering the room with a loud sigh promptly followed by an excited squeal.

“What’ve you done now?” Leon asked, following her in even though he’d only intended to take her as far as the door because he wanted to make sure she really _didn’t_ hurt her pretty arse after promising he’d make sure she didn’t. Upon entering the room, he could suddenly see what Sonia was so excited about as she turned around, holding out another unopened bottle of wine in her hands with a cheerful “ta-daa!”

“You said you weren’t going to have any more,” Leon said accusingly, but Sonia simply grinned back and poked her tongue out at him, “Well, I wasn’ gonna but it’d be a _real shame_ t’waste it.”

“Son-” he began, but she’d immediately cut him off as she poured out two glasses, “Stop bein’ such a baby and ‘ave some with me!”

“I’m no’ a baby,” he mumbled indignantly, looking at the floor like a sulky child. Sonia laughed again, brandishing one of the glasses at him, “Prove it then.”

He had never been one for turning down a challenge, so no matter how much that one part of him continuously screamed that it was a bad idea, he took the glass and downed a swig from it. Sonia clapped in delight before taking a swig herself.

“Wanna play a game?” Sonia asked after a brief silence, a sly grin crossing her lips.

“Go on then,” Leon replied, taking another swig. He reasoned that at least if he stayed up here she couldn’t drink that whole bottle by herself. He doubted he would have much more fun downstairs than hanging out with her anyway.

“’ave you ever ‘ad any alcohol before today?” she asked, slurring her words slightly and following with a giggle, “and be ‘onest.”

“How’s this a game?” he asked, confused. He’d never heard of a game like this.

“Jus’ answer the question,” she giggled again, “an’ then you can ask me one.”

“Alright, no,” he replied in answer to the question, still feeling confused but at the same curious about where this was going to go, “Rose wouldn’ let me.”

“Fuckin’ miserable prick,” she spat and the tension in the room increased slightly because he could sense she was angry about something. He was curious, more than he’d ever been in his life, but he didn’t want to make her angrier and he didn’t particularly want to talk about Rose either. As far as he was concerned, that part of his life was behind him, and he was better for it.

He’d gotten a rough idea of what sort of questions he could ask so he quickly thought up one to help her calm down, “Have you ever go’ this drunk before?”

Sonia shrugged, seeming to calm down slightly, exactly as Leon had hoped, “Don’ think so. My turn! ‘ave you ever snogged somebody before?”

His cheeks turned pink and he mumbled, “A few times,” and is then startled to see Sonia wearing a look of annoyance on her face, “Wha’ about you?”

“Once,” she said, clearly caught off guard and suddenly becoming very quiet, “Old boyfriend. An’ before you ask, yeah I shagged him too. Not proud of it.”

An uncomfortable silence fell between the two once more as Leon tried to ignore the strange feelings he had bubbling in his chest. He couldn’t pinpoint what they were: anger? Disappointment? Jealousy? Why the fuck would he be jealous that his best mate had had sex with an ex-boyfriend?

“Wha’ happened?” the words were out of his mouth before he could even think to stop them.

“Caught ‘im cheatin’, the fuckin’ perv,” she said bitterly, “With some fuckin’ blonde bitch. Made me feel bad. Though’ it was because I wasn’ puttin’ out. So I gave ‘im it thinkin’ that’d sort it and then he jus’ fucked off with ‘er anyway.”

Leon fell silent again, the feeling in his chest almost completely giving way to rage because how _dare_ someone treat his Sonia like that?

Wait, _his_ Sonia? Where the heck did that come from?

“Not done anythin’ since,” Sonia shrugged, taking a few moments to compose herself again (as best as she can given how intoxicated she is), “What abou’ you?”

“A few times,” he said, feeling intensely reluctant to divulge this information for some reason and not only because it involved mentioning Rose again when he really didn’t want to give that tosser headspace, “Rose used t’get prozzies in for me. Said it’d help me concentrate on th’important shit.”

She scowled at him, “He woul’ say that, the fuckin’ perv. Bet he was doing Oleana behind everyone’s backs.”

He couldn’t help but laugh at that because he wouldn’t have put it past the former chairman to have possibly followed the same ideologies that he’d forced onto him.

“’M sorry,” she said suddenly, “Bet he put you through some righ’ shit.”

“Mm, a bit.”

“If I’d known I woulda decked him,” she got up and started swinging her hand in a slapping motion which Leon can’t help but find very sexy, filling his chest with a new emotion – a strange longing for her to perhaps do that to him, “Like _tha’_. Righ’ across his stupid smug face.”

“Would’ve loved to see that,” he replied, eagerly gulping the rest of his wine down, unable to take his eyes off of her because his earlier words were still ringing true in his mind; she _was_ hot as fuck, with her shimmering red hair cascading down her back and the dress which, while not the most revealing thing in the world, does a good job of showcasing her assets without going overboard. There was definitely a desire that he could feel, burning in his chest.

She sat back down beside him, resting her hands in her lap, “Don’ like people upsettin’ you. Pisses me off.”

“Jus’ me or?”

“Maybe Gran an’ Granddad an’ Nessa,” she replied, clearly uninhibited, “but yeah, you too. Don’ look so smug abou’ it.”

He couldn’t help it. He’d never felt so flattered. She broke the silence again, “Were they good?”

“Wha’?”

“The prozzies?”

He shrugged nonchalantly, “They were alrigh’ I guess.”

“Were they hot?”

Again, the words had left his mouth before his brain could intervene to stop them, “Not as hot as you.”

She shot him a stunned look, her cheeks reddening until her face is as bright as a beacon. After about a minute of silence she leaned over, still blushing intensely but looking incredibly certain of what she wanted to do.

It was his turn to be stunned but before he could give her an answer, she practically crawled onto his lap and captured his lips in a passionate kiss. After that, his brain seemed to shut off, because once they’d connected he wanted nothing more than to keep that connection going, while his heart pounded fiercely in his chest and his stomach fluttered madly. She swiped her tongue across his lips and he automatically opened his mouth to allow her inside, feeling her hot tongue twist and twirl around his own while her hands glided across his shoulders. He could feel her nails through his shirt and he couldn’t help but to let out a hum into her mouth.

At that sound, Sonia quickly pushed him back into her pillows and clambered on top of him, and he was almost certain she could _feel_ him under his nice trousers (they weren’t the best at hiding things like that) because she had started rubbing herself against him, causing him to groan as his hands found her hips.

She leaned back down, capturing his mouth again in yet another kiss, her hands beginning to move down his chest and fumble with the buttons on his shirt. He knew deep down that he should probably stop this, but he hadn’t felt so wanted in such a long time and it was by _her_ of all people. She’d only opened the top few buttons before her hands had found their way under his shirt, her nails lightly scratching his chest causing him to let out a small moan into her mouth. She released his lips, continuing to rub against his still-captive cock while her hands continued to undo the rest of his shirt buttons.

“Son, are you-” he tried to speak, but with his shirt now completely open and his chest exposed, she leaned back in, capturing his lips again and cutting him off. Her hands set to work on trying to get his shirt off so he instinctively lifted himself just slightly enough for her to do the job. Then he was topless and she was touching him and he was loving every second of it. Her fingers found a nipple and she gave it a small twist, making his body jerk as a ripple of delight passed through him.

She broke apart from him again, and the look on her face meant business, “Take your trousers off, now.”

“Sonia, I-”

“Jus’ shut up and do it!” she barked as she began to pull her dress off over her head, revealing a flesh-coloured bra underneath with matching knickers. Overcome with desire for her again, he set to work, unbuttoning his trousers, pulling them down and kicking them off of his feet, leaving himself almost completely exposed to her save for his boxers and socks, which she immediately noticed.

“You can take _those_ off too,” she ordered while pointing at his socks but before he could follow through, she’d already grabbed them by the toes and yanked them off his feet. She quickly crawled back on top of him, pressing her lips firmly to his again while her hands began to make their way to the hem of his boxers. Unable to stand any more, his hands found their way onto her legs, slowly drifting up her thighs to her bottom. She let out a sigh, pressing her tongue into his mouth again and snogging him like her life depended on it. His hands continued to travel upwards until they’d found her bra, and then he began to fumble with the clips.

He held back a curse word as it was more obnoxious than he would have liked ( _why did she have to wear such an awkward bra?_ ) but eventually something gave way and it unclipped. She pulled away again, sitting up and pulling the bra down her arms and throwing it to a lonely corner of the room before she leaned in close again, this time around his ear.

“I _do_ like you,” she whispered, her breath smelling strongly of the wine they’d been drinking, “You like me too, don’tya?”

He nodded with a heavy swallow. He knew it was probably wrong, but by this point he was too far gone and he wanted her _so badly_ , so he flipped her over, revelling in the shocked yet delighted squeal she gave as he leaned in and kissed her neck, planting kisses all the way down, centimetre by centimetre, all the way down until he got to her chest. He took a nipple into her mouth, feeling her shiver beneath him while letting out a slightly louder moan. Her hands grabbed his head, becoming entangled in his hair, while his tongue twirled around the nipple, causing her to pant out his name and _Arceus he loved it when she said his name like that._

He switched breasts (mercifully her grip on his head was just loose enough that he was able to do so) and gave it the same treatment as the prior one, allowing a free hand to cup the remaining breast and flick the nipple with his thumb. He then began to dot kisses down her stomach, all the way to the top of her vulva and further down still. It didn’t take long for him to find her core, as her hands clenched in his hair and she let out a cry.

“Please,” she begged, “Please, I wan’ you to…”

He didn’t need telling twice, so he sat up and yanked his boxers down, revealing himself to her completely while she set about trying to wriggle her knickers down her legs, which he soon helped with. She kicked them off of her feet and they landed on the floor… somewhere, he didn’t really care where. He moved in close to her again, one hand firmly around his cock as he located her entrance and with a push, he was in.

He could feel nothing but ecstasy as he pounded into her, relishing in every moan and grunt and shout of his name. Her hands travelled down his back and was almost certainly scratching it while his hands grabbed the back of her head, her beautiful flaming red hair twisting around his fingers, and he crashed his lips against hers. Her hands promptly found their way to his arse and she proceeded to slap it, causing him to yelp in delight.

He kept going faster and harder as her legs wrapped themselves around his waist. He knew it wouldn’t be too much longer before he hit his peak, but he knew it would be selfish if only he’d got something out this, so his fingers found her nipples again, flicking them left and right.

“Naughty girl,” he growled into her ear. Her cries grew louder and she was tightening around him; it seemed like she was close too so he took a chance and gently nibbled on her ear. That coupled with his playing with her breasts and the sheer intensity of his thrusting made her come undone and knowing that was enough to make him come undone as well. With a loud moan, he thrust into her for the final time and held it, pushed himself as deeply as he could into her as he saw his orgasm through.

He collapsed on top of her, feeling utterly exhausted, “Well?”

Her face was glowing, her smile travelling from ear to ear as she panted, “Tha’ was… Those prozzies must’ve _loved_ comin’ to you.”

He wanted to make a remark about her ex-boyfriend but decided against it. It wasn’t the appropriate moment and he _really_ didn’t want to think about that prick, whoever he might have been, “Yeah well… had a lot’a practice, y’know.”

She laughed as he rolled over onto his back and immediately she snuggled into his side, burying her head into his neck, “I can tell.”

* * *

“Wow.”  
  
“Yeah.”

By the time Sonia had finished telling Nessa everything, the Gym Leader had been stunned into silence. She supposes it’s not all that surprising, given how damned big _this_ is compared to whatever happened with Nessa and Milo.

“So how far gone are you?”

“The midwife reckons about six weeks, give or take a few days.”

“So definitely the party then,” Nessa looks thoughtful and Sonia has to fight the urge to scoff that it’s the only time this conception could possibly have happened because that’s the only time she’s slept with someone in recent years.

“I’m sorry,” she says and Sonia is stunned because her friend is wearing a look of guilt on her face, “I saw the two of you leaving together, and I didn’t think anything of it. If I’d have known-”

“Don’t worry about it,” Sonia cuts her off, because she’s not in the mood for this ‘what if’ nonsense any more, she’d spent enough time sat at home running through scenarios in her head where this didn’t happen, “It’s done now.”

The two ladies fall silent again, before Nessa asks that one question Sonia had been hoping would be avoided, “Have you told him?”

She licks her lips, “No.”

Nessa sighs, “Son, I can’t imagine how hard this is for you but… he has a right to know. I mean it’s his-”

“I know,” she replies curtly because she _knows_ all this already. She knows she needs to tell everyone, and she especially knows she needs to tell _him_ but she’s so scared that he won’t want her in his life any more that it’s messing with her judgement.

If there’s one thing Sonia is grateful for though is that Nessa hasn’t asked about the lack of protection because it’d be a waste of time. Sonia already knows it was irresponsible of her not to use any, so she wouldn’t be being told anything new. Besides, she knows that Gran’s the one that will no doubt give her _that_ particular lecture.

Her phone pings in her bag so she sets about trying to find it. When she eventually pulls it free and checks her messages she feels her chest tighten.

_It’s him._

**_Leon:_ ** **Hi sonia are** **yo** **u ok, pl** **ea** **s** **e** **t** **e** **xt me back**

But she can’t. She’s not ready to. Her hands tremble as Nessa peeks over her shoulder to look at the message.

“Sonia?” she begins gently, placing a hand on her arm.

“I-I can’t…”

Before she can even think, her phone pings again and her heart sinks deeper into her stomach.

 _**Gran:**_ **we need to have a chat**

_Oh Arceus, she knows. She knows and now my life is over._

Nessa reads that one as well and her face shifts into worry, “That doesn’t sound good.”

“No,” Sonia sighs as she stares at the message with a deepening sense of despair, “It doesn’t.”

Nessa bites her top lip in thought before offering Sonia a gentle squeeze, “Look, I know it won’t stop the ear-bashing you’re going to get from her, but if you want to, you can spend the night here. Compose your thoughts so that when you go home, you’ll be in a better position to deal with her.”

Sonia knows her Gran will be pretty angry if she gets any sort of inkling that she might be running away or trying to avoid her, so as much as she desperately wants to take Nessa up on her offer, she shakes her head in defeat, “No… that’ll only make things worse. I should… I should just get this over with.”

“Okay,” Nessa murmurs, suddenly curling her arms around her, “Listen, I’m always here. If you need anyone to talk to or if you need someone to come to appointments with you and I’m free-”

“Thanks,” Sonia whispers, feeling so grateful that she has such a good friend, because telling her this has taken a small amount of the weight off of her shoulders. She begins to pull her bag up onto her shoulder and get to her feet. Yamper whines, as the little Pokémon had clearly been very comfortable resting on her lap.

Nessa gets up too, “I’ll see you to the train station, if you want.”

“Nah, it’s fine… it’s not far from here anyway.”

“If that’s what you want,” Nessa envelops Sonia into another hug, “It’s going to be okay, Son. I promise.”

Sonia bites her lip doubtfully, “I hope so.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone!  
> It's been tough going lately, my six year old daughter has symptoms of covid-19. She's her usual bouncy self so it might not even be the virus but there's no way to tell right now without testing which isn't available for us so we're having to proceed with caution as best as we can. I'm scared, not just for her and my family but also because I'm vulnerable (weak immune system).  
> So words cannot express how thankful I am for all of your comments, I really do love reading them and it really spurs me on to keep writing and try and find some joy in all this mess. So thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you. <3
> 
> Also yes, I totally ship Raihan/Piers, probably my second fave ship tied with Hop/Gloria :)


	5. Starting to Come to Terms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Gran is waiting for her when she enters the house, along with Granddad, and they both look stern, “I heard you closed the lab today.”
> 
> Sonia nods stiffly, “Yes, I had other plans today.”
> 
> The older woman’s lips thin slightly, “I see. Would any of these plans involve going to the Wedgehurst Maternity Clinic, by any chance?”

It doesn’t take long to get back to Wedgehurst, even though she deliberately drags her feet to allow more time for herself to work out what she’s going to say to Gran when she gets back. Her stomach is a bundle of nerves and she can still taste the vomit from earlier in her mouth as she makes her way up Route 2 with Yamper, who once again stays close to her side and keeps looking up at her with a worried expression.

She smiles weakly down at her trusty partner, “It’ll be fine,” she tells him, even though she doesn’t quite believe it herself.

Gran is waiting for her when she enters the house, along with Granddad, and they both look stern, “I heard you closed the lab today.”

Sonia nods stiffly, “Yes, I had other plans today.”

The older woman’s lips thin slightly, “I see. Would any of these plans involve going to the Wedgehurst Maternity Clinic, by any chance?”

Straight to the point, as always. Gran didn’t mess around. Sonia winces because she knows Gran knows and she’s more than aware that things are about to get a little heated. Still, she can’t help but reply, “You already know, so why ask?”

“Please don’t take that tone with your Gran, dear,” Granddad tells her in a calm yet firm voice and she can’t help but feel a little relieved that he’s there, even if he seems just as upset with her as Gran does. He tended to have a calming effect on her usually, which might be needed in this case.

She bites her lip. Even though she’s an adult now she still feels much like a child in this instance, “Sorry,” she sighs, running a hand through her ponytail, “But… yes. I was.”

Gran’s nose flares and she looks like she wants to say something but is holding the words back. She gestures to the kitchen table, almost formerly, “Please take a seat.”

She does so, her legs shaking while she removes her bag watching as Granddad sets about making cups of tea. Yamper scoots up next to her legs before jumping onto her lap, laying down pressing his nose against her belly again. She runs a hand over his fur before she remembers something, “I brought you some tea,” she mumbles, pulling said items from her bag and gently pushing it across the table.

Gran doesn’t smile, but she does nod slightly, “Thank you. But please don’t change the subject, dear. _Why_ were you at the Wedgehurst Maternity Clinic?”

Sonia shrinks slightly, feeling her cheeks heat and her eyes burn with the desire to cry again even though she is determined not to. It’s bad enough that Nessa had to see her in such a state without adding to that list of people. She whispers, “I think you already know the answer.”

“I see.”

An uncomfortable silence falls between the two ladies as Granddad gently places a cup of tea in front of her. Sonia doesn’t hesitate to bring the cup to her lips while Gran seems to be stirring some sugar into hers, eyes focused on her cup, “It certainly explains a lot of your odd behaviour.”

Sonia doesn’t say anything. She doesn’t know what to say. This is the woman who raised her, and she’s more than aware that she had never been one to mince her words or hold back on delivering fair discipline when she felt it was needed. There’d been spankings as a child, shouting matches when she was a teenager and a lot of criticisms from her as a young adult who was still trying to work out what she wanted in life. It goes without saying that she’s expecting _some_ unpleasant confrontation to occur.

Eventually Gran speaks again, her voice still completely rational and steady, “May I ask when this happened?”

“… Nessa’s birthday.”

“Of course.”

It’s at this point that Granddad chimes in, “What about the father? Does he know?”

Sonia refuses to remove her gaze from the half-full cup of tea in front of her, “Not yet.” _Please don’t ask who it is, please don’t ask who it is…_

Granddad simply nods, reaching a hand across the table and desperately tries to meet her eyes, which he does so eventually, “We’re not angry, sweetheart.”

“Just disappointed,” Gran sighs, pushing her spectacles back up her nose slightly and looking directly at her, “You’re not even married yet or in a relationship. Did you even use protection?”

Sonia’s cheeks redden in shame, “Well… we were both a bit drunk and… I’m pretty sure we just got carried away and forgot all about it…”

Gran opens her mouth to speak but Sonia interrupts, “I know, Gran. I _know_ it was stupid of me. I’ve not been able to stop thinking about it. I _know_ what I should have done and I _know_ I’ve ruined everything by _not_ doing what I should have done. You don’t need to tell me.”

“Don’t be so melodramatic, dear, you haven’t ruined everything,” Gran’s voice softens, much to Sonia’s surprise, “I heard it from Linda who heard it from her daughter who _saw_ you leaving the Clinic, and I couldn’t help but wonder why you felt you couldn’t come to me. That is the largest reason for my disappointment, never mind the fact that I honestly wanted better for you.”

Sonia is stunned; was Gran _not_ going to yell at her then? And really, of all the things she’d thought Gran would be cross about, _not_ being the one to tell her was not the first thing she thought would be on her list. Her hands automatically scratch behind Yamper’s ear before she manages to quietly say, “I’m sorry.”

Gran studies her almost clinically, the sentimentality from before seems to have lessened and her voice is business-like once more, “So what are you going to do about it?”

“I’m going to keep it,” she responds, sounding a lot more convincing and strong than she thought she would, but in her heart she feels like this is the right thing to do. She’s scared shitless, but the other options simply don’t appeal to her. It’s almost like there’s a small part of her that perhaps has grown attached to this baby even though part of her still wishes things weren’t like this.

“And raise it alone?” Gran raises an eyebrow.

Sonia swallows, “If I have to.”

Gran frowns again, “It’s hard work. Nothing like raising a Pokémon. Are you certain that you will be able to manage raising a child along with your work?”

Sonia nods and smiles weakly, “I think I’ll manage. I’ll have to, won’t I?”

Granddad chips in again after returning to the table with some biscuits in hand, “Well, it’s not like you’ll be all on your own, love. Me and your Gran may not be as young as we used to be, but we can perhaps chip in if needed. And if the baby’s father gets on board as well…”

“Ah yes,” Gran speaks up again while she grabs her cane and gets to her feet, “I’m assuming you know who the father is?”

Sonia feels a prickle of annoyance pass through her _(what does she think I am?_ ), “Of course I know who he is, Gran.”

“I’m just checking, there’s no need to be offended, dear. You wouldn’t be the only young person nowadays to have made a mistake like this under the influence and not have any memory of who contributed,” Gran replies from the kettle as she fiddles around with making herself a new cup of tea, “Are you perhaps willing to divulge who the father is or if he’s somebody we know?”

_I can’t. If I tell her she might make me call him up right now and tell him and I’m just not ready to tell him yet._

Her mouth hangs open, unsure on how to reply, but mercifully, Granddad seems to sense her discomfort and comes to her rescue, “Perhaps that’s something she’s not comfortable talking about at the minute Hazel, and if that’s the case, we should respect her wishes.”

Gran nods stiffly, “Very well,” she makes her way back to the table with a fresh cup of tea in one hand and her cane in the other, “I would like to be kept up to date on things, however. And I do think you need to reach out to the father and inform him of what has happened. Whether he wants to be involved or not is entirely up to him, but you need to at least give him the opportunity to make that choice. It’s only fair.”

Sonia nods. Of course Gran would insist on this. If only she could figure out when and where and _how_ she was going to tell him, and if only she could erase this crippling fear of losing him because without that this would be so much easier.

“I have also decided in light of this that I will be going to Wyndon with you to your conference,” she says firmly.

“Oh, but Gran, you don’t need to do that,” Sonia stammers, suddenly feeling like she’s being treated like a child who needs to have her hand held, because even though she’d initially felt it would be best if Gran was the one to go, at the end of the day _she’s_ the one with the invite and at the very root of it all she still just wants to make her grandmother proud, “I won’t be doing anything with anyone, just going to the conference and an appointment that’s being arranged up there, and Hop will be with me-”

“You have been vomiting at nearly every single hot meal that has been put in front of you and you’ve been as white as a sheet for weeks,” she replies sternly, her tone making it plain that she will not be argued with on this, “I am quite honestly surprised you haven’t fainted yet from the sheer amount of work you’ve been doing on top of not being able to eat properly. My decision on this is final, dear. I’m only doing this because I care.”

Sonia knows it’s best not to argue when Gran’s like this, so she bows her head and mutters, “Fine.”

“Good,” the former professor says before taking one last sip of her tea, “Now Granddad and I have prepared a cold tea for tonight since I’m assuming hot foods are ultimately what is encouraging your sickness. After that, I think it might be wise if you had an early night. You will need to retain as much energy as you can in the coming months to ensure that child is able to grow healthily and that you do not fall ill in the process.”

Sonia nods, feeling a small sense of relief flooding her chest. _At least that’s over._ Gran hadn’t been as angry as she’d expected, so it almost fills her with hope that if she can tell _Gran_ , then she can tell others and they won’t hold it against her, won’t judge her for her poor decision-making, and perhaps she might be able to field some of these awkward questions and… perhaps she might feel sure of herself for once on what she wants.

After tea, she retreats to her room with her bag as per Gran’s suggestions and dresses into her pyjamas, but she certainly doesn’t feel ready to sleep. With a sigh, she reaches into her bag, pulling out the incense and placing it on her window sill. Then she pulls out Yamper’s Pokémon treats and opens up the small bag, tossing a treat over to him because he’s been such a good boy lately and he totally deserves it. Finally, she pulls out her pregnancy notes.

She’s too curious, so she opens them. The first page is all about her; her name, date of birth, blood type, address, contact details and any medical needs she might have (none, thankfully). All the usual stuff, by the looks of it. She turns to the next page, which is simply scribbled notes going over everything Lina had already told her in the appointment: don’t drink alcohol, don’t have too much caffeine, sex is perfectly fine unless stated otherwise, eat plenty of fruit and vegetables, take prenatal tablets, watch out for consistent bleeding, the whole affair. She’s also made a note of the estimated due date and the fact that she’d taken bloods.

She closes the notes and places them back on her desk, sitting back on her bed with a sigh. Yamper hops up onto the bed, curling himself into her stomach again and Sonia can’t help but chuckle softly.

“You really do know, don’t you?” she whispers, softly stroking his fur to which the puppy Pokémon lets out a small sound, almost as if he’s positively responding to her. She smiles, “Do you think you’re trying to protect it?” Yamper yips in reply, with a small wag of his tail.

_Not an it. A her or a him. A person._

She thinks back on Gran’s words and grabs her phone, rifling through her texts until she gets to Leon’s most recent text. She really _should_ reply. It would be polite to. Even if she doesn’t tell him what’s happening with her right now, at least she can perhaps return the olive branch he’s extending to her and maybe, _maybe_ it’ll make it easier for her when the time comes to eventually tell him the truth. Better that than turning up out of nowhere after ages without talking just to say ‘hey, guess what, you put a baby in me!’

So with trembling fingers, she types out a text to him.

 **I’m ok,** **it’s been** **busy**

She looks it over a couple of times before she sends it. She doesn’t want him to think that she’s missing him or anything, even though deep down she knows that she is. Part of her wants nothing more than to see him again and to hang out with him like none of this is going on, like that night never happened because at least then things would be normal and she wouldn’t ever have to worry about losing him. But even then she can’t help but think of how warm he’d felt against her, how he’d held her and how his hair had tickled against her skin and a very small part of her wonders if she would even be satisfied with things going back to the way they were any more.

She places the phone back on her bedside cabinet before rolling over with one hand resting on Yamper’s back and closing her eyes.

* * *

It had been pleasantly warm when she’d woken up the night following the party. The only real downside had been the severe pounding in her head which told her, undoubtedly, that she had perhaps gone overboard on the drinking. Mentally she swore that she’d never drink again, though deep down she knew that was nonsense as she said that every time she had a hangover and it had never stopped her from going crazy on the next wild night out.

She pressed her fingers to her forehead in an attempt to dull the worst of the pain but it wasn’t working. She really didn’t want to open her eyes because then the pain would only worsen at the introduction of more light into her vision. Still, she needed some damn painkillers so there wasn’t much of an option.

Upon reluctantly opening her eyes, the pain intensified as she knew it would, causing her to wince, and as she reached across to the bedside cabinet she noticed that a weight was bearing on her. She looked down to find an arm draped across her and her heart jumped into her throat as the memories of the previous night started to come back to her.

She slowly turned her head to find Leon curled into her, definitely still very much out of it, and she didn’t need to look under the covers to know that he was wearing nothing, much like she wasn’t. At this point it took everything she had to try and remain calm, even though her brain was screaming at her that this time, and she absolutely _meant_ it, she was never touching alcohol again. Or at least limiting herself by a _hell_ of a lot. She tensed, trying to work out what to do because she had never ever been in this position before. She had always been reasonably sensible! And yet, the previous night she had had sex with one of her best friends.

Granted, she liked Leon, a lot more than she’d care to admit – she’d harboured a small crush on him since she was twelve, after all – but she had always known and accepted that nothing could ever happen between them. He’d never looked at her in that way and had never even been interested in pursuing any sort of relationship because he had always been far more interested in Pokémon and battling, to the point where he’d almost disappeared from her life for a few years, up until a short while before he’d brought Gloria to her. He also lived too far away, on the other side of Galar in fact, so even if by some form of a miracle he did decide he wanted _something_ with her (though she didn’t see why he would), it would have been too difficult to make it happen and she didn’t much like the thought of a long-distance relationship.

Yet, there they were, both as naked as the day they were born and Sonia was no fool. She could remember, pretty clearly, what they had done together. Which meant Sonia now had to work out what the hell she could say to him, because what could she say to the bloke who was one of her best mates that she’d just slept with while under the influence?

She desperately needed the painkillers though, so she looked around to see if she could catch sight of a damned gown or something she could put on to cover herself with, just in case he woke up. Granted, a part of her wondered what the point was given that he’d seen everything anyway but it was the principle of the thing.

Before she could find anything, she felt movement next to her and heard a small sleepy groan which made her heart flutter in her chest. She turned and saw his eyebrows crease as he placed a hand over his face, clearly showcasing that he too had a hangover, though whether or not it was as bad as hers was, she didn’t really care to find out. Eventually he opened his eyes, squinting slightly, before his mouth fell open at the sight of her.

“Oh,” he breathed, as the realization seemed to hit him as hard as it had hit her, “Shit.”

“Yeah,” she replied awkwardly, still not having any sort of clue on what to do in this situation, “Um…”

Clearly he didn’t know what to do either, as he backed away from her, something which bothered Sonia a little as a small part of her was left longing for the warmth to return. His cheeks had started to go pink, and given how warm her face felt, she imagined it was the same for her. His eyes shifted away from her, not seeming sure on where to settle but he almost seemed determined not to look at her. It seemed like they were stuck in an awkward limbo with neither of them having any sort of clue on how to get out of it.

It looked like he wasn’t about to break the silence between them any time soon, so Sonia would have to take the initiative, “Would you mind not looking? I… need to get some painkillers.”

“Right,” he mumbled before turning over in the bed, closing his eyes and burying his face into his pillow. Grabbing the opportunity while she had it, Sonia quickly crawled out of bed and dashed across the room, opening the door to the room’s cupboard and pulling out a robe which she instantly threw on. She then grabbed the paper bag with all of her spare clothes in and practically lunged for the bathroom, shutting the door behind her.

“Okay, I’m in the bathroom!” she yelled through the door as she quickly grabbed the pills out of the box in the bag (thank goodness she’d remembered to pack some), ran some water into the toothbrush holder and downed them in one go. After a quick wee, she made a start on throwing her clothes on, hygiene rituals be damned, she would clean up later when she was far away from Wyndon. She could hear movement from the other side of the door and could only assume he was starting to get dressed back into his clothes from the previous night (if he could even find them because their clothes from before had been thrown all across the floor).

When she finally pulled her top on, she glanced back over at the door, her heart still racing fiercely in her chest. She needed to get out there at some point and she knew Leon enough to know that he probably wouldn’t just leave and go to his room without talking to her, so she knocked on the door uncomfortably, “A-are you decent?”

“Yeah,” his voice travelled through the door, though she almost had to strain to hear it, which was odd because she had never known him to be so quiet. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath, she pushed the door open to see him standing in the clothes he’d worn the prior night and looking incredibly restless.

Chewing on her bottom lip, she stuffed her hand back into her bag and pulled out the painkillers, tossing them over to him, “Um… here. For the hangover.”

He almost dropped them, but luckily managed to catch them again before muttering a quiet “thank you”. She moved over to allow him entry into the bathroom where he proceeded to fill the same toothbrush holder with water. After taking them, he shut the door behind him and Sonia set to work on picking up her dress and underwear from the previous night. She could quite clearly hear him taking a piss and washing his hands before he came back out, brow creased in thought, looking like he wanted to say something but couldn’t quite find the words.

Sonia’s chest tightened because on the one hand she wanted nothing more than to get the hell out of there and never talk about this again but on the other she felt like she needed to say _something_ , if only to get it out there that this wasn't something she usually did. She didn't want him to have the wrong idea about her. She wasn't a tart. She doesn't just want to have sex with anyone for the fun of it.

Before she could say anything, he’d taken a step towards her, “Sonia, I-”

“This was a mistake,” she interrupted firmly before he ended up saying anything that would either hurt her or make her want to jump back into bed with him, because in spite of everything there was still a tiny part of her longing for him to hold her so she could feel his warmth again.

He flinched, before he nodded in agreement and replied hoarsely, “Yeah.”

“I just…” she began again, feeling intensely restless and a little bit hurt that he’d agreed with her so easily, “This is… I- I need to go. I’m sorry. I’ll call you later.”

With that, she grabbed her belongings and, trying hard to fight the sting of tears that threatened to fall, left as quickly as she could without turning back.

* * *

Saturdays in the Battle Tower are usually quiet, so Leon is surprised when the evening rolls around and none other than Gloria turns up there, dressed casually in jeans, a t-shirt and a hoodie, looking for a battle. After working her way up past a few of the trainers (who are clearly no match for her), she challenges him to a battle, something which fills him with excitement because he absolutely loves battling with her, the only person who has ever been able to beat him (even though Raihan and Hop have both come very close).

It’s a close match but Gloria ends up taking the victory and while losing still stings, it’s not as bad as it was when he’d lost to her the first time. He feels like he is learning more from battling with her and it fills him with wonderment that even after all this time, even after being the Champion for as long as he has been, he can still learn new things and use them to make him a better trainer.

After recalling Charizard he hands his Poké Balls to an employee for healing before turning to shake Gloria’s hand, “Brilliant as always, Champion.”

Gloria grins wildly, “Thanks! You really gave me a run for my money, though.”

“I may take back my throne yet,” he remarks, and Gloria smirks at this in a way that says 'yeah, I’d like to see you try'.

It’s near enough closing time so he offers to walk Gloria home since it seems like the gentlemanly thing to do (not that Gloria needs it, anyone who even dared try and mess with her would very quickly live to regret it). She accepts, and once Leon’s Poké Balls are returned to him, the two leave, climbing aboard the monorail, which is near enough devoid of commuters (people are probably already out or where they want to be, he reasons).

Sitting across from her, he flashes her a grin, “It’s been a while since I’ve seen you. What brought you to the Battle Tower anyway?”

Gloria shrugs, “I was bored. I had the evening off and I wanted to get into a scrap. You always give a good fight.”

He’s flattered, of course, but he has to try not to let his ego grow too large over it. He knows he’s damned good, but at the end of the day she’s proven herself to be better multiple times. Battling her gives him a much needed reality check that serves to remind him that even _he_ can learn to be better and grow stronger, that even _he_ has his faults which can be exploited by those with the know-how.

“So how’s the Champion life going?” he asks, even though he already knows that being the Champion comes with many additional duties, some exciting, some dull and some downright stressful. At least Gloria doesn’t have Oleana hissing in her ear, telling her what she can and can’t do, so she has more freedom than he did.

“Fine, I guess,” she replies, wrinkling her nose, “Though I’ve got a meeting with the mayor of Wyndon Monday morning and I’m really not looking forward to it.”

“Ah, yeah, I don’t envy you,” he chuckles, “Those can get pretty boring.”

“I know, right? He wants to talk about this upcoming conference. I’m sure you’ve already heard about it? The one with all the professors?”

Leon swallows, “Yeah, I’ve heard about it.”

“Yeah, he wants me there to help him greet the guests or something like that. Sonia’s supposed to be going isn’t she?” Gloria asks while pulling out her phone, “That’s what Hop’s said anyway.”

“Yeah, he’s coming up with her to help her out,” Leon replies and he can’t help but notice Gloria’s eyes light up upon hearing that, “We’ve arranged to have a match.”

“Cool, I’ll definitely have to make time to watch that,” she says, tapping away on her phone, probably writing a text to his brother scolding him for not telling her that he was going to be there too, which makes him wonder if that was supposed to be a surprise. If that’s the case, he’ll definitely have to apologize to Hop for that.

He pulls out his own phone since Gloria’s manic texting reminds him that he still needs to write a reply to Sonia, since she’d texted him back last night. Nothing major was said, just that she was okay and things were busy. It almost stung, because it seemed so _normal_ and even though part of him would love to have that normality back between them, he also knows that he wouldn’t be content with just laughing and joking around as friends any more.

He must have been staring at the phone for quite some time because Gloria’s looking at him strangely, a small frown on her face, “What’s wrong with you?”

“Nothing really,” he says initially but then it crosses his mind that Gloria’s a female (albeit a very young one) and might be able to offer some insight, “Well, actually, there is something.”

“What?”

“Well,” he takes a deep breath, because he doesn’t want to give away exactly what he’s done (she’s still young and good friends with Sonia as well as him so he thinks he’ll leave that secret with just Raihan for now) but he also wants to get the rough point across, so after a bit of thought he continues, “I have this friend. He did something _really_ stupid with someone he really cares about and since then they haven’t really been talking. He wants to make it up to her but he doesn’t quite know how to go about doing that. I don’t know what to tell him.”

Gloria raises an eyebrow and Leon has to wonder if she is buying the whole ‘I have a friend’ thing, “Why doesn’t he just say he’s sorry?”

“Yeah, this is one of those things where sorry probably isn’t going to be enough,” he states, “It was… pretty big. Relationship-changing.”

Gloria pauses, tapping the top of her phone against her bottom lip in thought, before she looks up again, “I don’t know. The only thing he can really do is talk to her.”

 _That old chestnut,_ he thinks, because it’s exactly what Raihan has told him to do, “He thinks she doesn’t want to talk to him.”

“Then perhaps he should leave it until she’s ready to come to him. That’s what I’d want if I were her,” she replies, focusing her attention back on her phone before she releases a small giggle at a reply text she’s just gotten.

“Is that Hop?” he asks before he can reign himself in.

“Marnie. Piers is spending the night over at Raihan’s and she’s bored. So I’ve got her sending memes to Bede and texting his replies to me.”

He chortles a little bit at that, because while he’s only met Bede a handful of times, he knows the kid’s got a real case of stick up the arse, so being pestered in such a way will no doubt annoy him to no ends. He also can’t help but feel happy for Raihan; it seems he’s followed through even in spite of his texting Sonia instead of calling her.

He looks down at his phone again, glancing at the text and wondering if perhaps Gloria is right about this. Maybe she’s still not ready to talk to him and face up to what has happened, and while that stings and he wants so badly to tell her that he misses her and that he really wants to see her and talk about if there could possibly be a future for them, he also doesn’t want to run any risk of scaring her away because if he does he’ll be stuck in this limbo for even longer.

So as much as it pains him, he decides to make one more quick reply and then leave her be. He quickly types out a message and sends it before putting his phone back in his pocket.

* * *

The weekend passes without much incident, much to Sonia’s relief. Gran seems to be giving her space, Granddad has been trying to give her food that she can keep down (so for once she doesn’t feel so crappy and the disgusting taste of vomit and phlegm hasn’t been as prevalent in her mouth), Yamper has been staying close further cementing that the Pokémon is well aware of the changes her body was going through and Leon’s sent her a text simply asking her to stay well and that whenever she’s ready to talk, he’s ready to listen (which takes some pressure off of her as she doesn’t quite feel ready to talk just yet. There are still some things in her head she needs to sort out, like how she feels about him and how she’s going to break the news of her unintended cargo).

It isn’t until Monday when Gran mentions something that a spanner is thrown into the works.

“Don’t lift anything heavy,” she instructs, “Get Hop to do any heavy lifting. He’s a strong young lad and if you explain why I’m sure he’ll be more than willing.”

It hits her that this might be more awkward than she’s first considered, because Hop isn’t just her assistant, he’s also Leon’s brother (and therefore uncle to the child she’s carrying). She doesn’t think there’s anything Hop will _not_ share with Leon, even if their chats are few and far-between nowadays. Granted she could simply just say she’s pregnant without mentioning the small fact that his brother is the father, but that would not necessarily stop him from revealing that fact to Leon, who can easily do the maths and work out that it’s his child she’s carrying from there, and she cannot begin to imagine how awkward that would be for him to hear it from someone other than her. She can’t just _not_ tell Hop the truth about her condition though, as if it’s flocking around Wedgehurst then somebody is bound to approach him when he’s out getting their lunch and start asking questions.

The only thing she can think of is swearing him to secrecy and _hoping_ he realizes that includes his brother. Heck, she’ll even specifically state as such if she has to. Then it’s just a matter of seeing if the teenager can respect her wishes and keep it to himself. He’s a good lad, he most likely will.

Yamper tags along with her to the lab, while she tries to keep her head down and avoid any people (who she’s sure are probably looking at her but then again she could be blowing that up in her head). It doesn’t take long before she gets there, and as she lets herself in and closes the door behind her, she lets out a sigh of relief and sets to work, pulling her lab coat over her shoulders and turning her power spot tracking machine on.

It’s another hour before Hop arrives, cheerful as usual, giving his usual loud greeting as he sets about pulling books down from the shelf, ready to continue from wherever he left off on Thursday. Sonia briefly considers the possibility that perhaps _she_ could go and get their lunch, but it’s one that is shot down quickly when she reminds herself that Hop likes to wander around Wedgehurst sometimes just to look around the shops and pick some things up for his mum, so with that in mind, she clears her throat to get his attention.

He glances up at her with his arms full of books, “What’s up?”

“I need to talk to you about something,” she says, trying to sound as professional as she can, because at least this way she feels like she has a lot more control over herself, “It is rather important. Could you sit with me?”

“Alright,” he replies, putting the books down at his table and moving over to sit with her near the tracking machine, “Is everything okay? Have I done something wrong?”

“No, of course you haven’t,” she smiles reassuringly, “It’s just… I need to tell you something. But before that I need you to promise me that what I’m going to tell you stays between us. Nobody else can know about this, not your mum, not Leon, not Gloria, nobody. Understand?”

He nods with a small frown, “Okay… I promise.”

Sonia exhales, trying to keep herself calm, “Right, well… you know I had that appointment not long ago?”

He nods again, his cheeks flushing slightly, “Yeah, ladies’ problems you said.”

“Well… it’s not quite far off from that,” she began, meeting his eyes, which are the same brilliant gold as his brother’s, “I’m pregnant, Hop.”

His eyes practically burst out of his head, “ _What?_ ”

Sonia runs a hand through her ponytail, “Yeah. I’m… really early on. I had an appointment with the midwife on Friday which is why I let you have the day off. Some ladies from Wedgehurst saw me there and it seems to be going around town so I wanted you to hear it from me and not somebody else.”

He’s fidgeting now, looking uncomfortable, “But… _how?_ I mean… _when?_ ”

Hop’s a smart lad, he’ll have easily worked out the when. As for the how, Sonia has to bite back a quip about drawing him a diagram because she knows Hop’s mum certainly won’t appreciate it if she does something like that, and heck, even Leon might end up not appreciating the joke either, not when it’s his little brother (who’s not so little any more). So Sonia doesn’t answer him, not immediately.

Before she has an answer for him, Hop’s already spoken again, “Hang on, if other people in Wedgehurst already know, then why can’t I tell other people?”

It’s a valid question and one she’s spent some time preparing the answer for, “Because as far as they’re aware, it’s only rumours. Only you and my grandparents know the real truth,” she deliberately doesn’t mention that Nessa knows as well as she doesn’t want him to feel encouraged that it would perhaps be alright to tell certain people if they’re friends of hers, “and I’d much prefer to keep it that way for now. Besides… people should hear it from me.”

He falls silent, bowing his head in a nod, “Okay. What about if people come up to me? What do I tell them?”

“Tell them you don’t know anything,” she responds simply, “It’s none of their business, anyway.”

“Alright. I’ll do that.”

“Gran will also be coming to the conference,” she reasons that she may as well get this out of the way now, though she’ll definitely remind him again closer to the time, “There is going to be an appointment booked for me at the hospital in Wyndon so if I disappear for a bit while we’re up there, there’s no need to worry, okay?”

“Okay,” he replies. He still looks awkward, like there are probably a million questions running through his mind but he’s not sure how to ask them or even if he should.

“That’s it, really,” she stands up again, grabbing a clipboard ready to take some readings from the tracking machine, “But if you have any questions, I’ll try and answer them as best as I can.”

She hopes beyond all hope that his curious mind doesn’t get carried away and start asking questions, especially not certain ones that she’d rather keep to herself for the time being. He thinks for a bit before shaking his head, “Just… wow. Congratulations, I guess.”

She’s a little taken aback, because this is the first time anyone’s congratulated her on this, and to her surprise it feels quite nice. To know that somebody was looking at this as a positive thing almost seems to give her reassurance that maybe, just maybe, _some_ things will be alright.

He gets up, moves to go back to his book but he stops mid-step and turns to her, “Actually, I do have a question.”

She swallows, not sure what to expect and concerned that it isn’t anything she’ll be comfortable talking about. He smiles, walks toward her and takes her clipboard out of her hands, “Shouldn’t _I_ be doing this? I mean being so close to all these wavelengths and stuff… we don’t know if it’ll have an effect on-”

“Oh,” she exhales a breath she didn’t realise she’s been holding, “I actually didn’t consider that! Yes, you can do that if it’ll make you feel better…”

He grins his usual cheeky grin and sets about making the necessary notes while Sonia turns away to try and find something else to do.

The beginnings of a smile begin to form on her lips. For the first time in quite a while, she feels content.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, everyone! Just an update to say thanks again for reading and for the comments! It really is continuing to spur me on.  
> My family are doing okay and my daughter is totally fine, so perhaps it wasn't the virus after all. But you can never be too careful!  
> Stay safe! x


	6. Making Plans

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When she gets out into the lobby her heart leaps into her throat and catches there, because she sees him there, talking to Hop and Gloria. He’s every bit as handsome as usual, looking incredibly dashing in his Battle Tower outfit, which oddly doesn’t seem so mismatched and silly as some of his other usual clothing choices. She debates quickly darting to the lift and heading straight for her room without making any eye contact or saying hello, but Hop spots her and begins to wave her over enthusiastically causing her to realize she’s caught. If she leaves now without saying anything it would be too suspicious.

It’s surprisingly warm in Wyndon, Sonia notes. She reasons that it most likely is because of all the buildings being so closely cramped together – a far cry from the more spacious countryside settings of Wedgehurst and Postwick – but it still leaves her feeling uncomfortable as she emerges from their late evening train with Hop and her gran. Hop had insisted on carrying the suitcase with both of the ladies’ belongings, even though Sonia had assured him she would be fine as her case wasn’t too heavy (just a few changes of clothes for both her and Gran and her notes mainly, of both the professor and pregnancy variety). Gran had fixed her with a stare however and she’d relented, so the poor boy was wheeling her stuff along behind him as well as wearing a backpack filled with his own things.

Throughout the journey to the hotel via monorail she begins to feel a little nervous – she hasn’t been back in Wyndon since that night and she’s about to head into the very building where her baby had been conceived, even if she’s not staying in the same room this time. She glances around the streets for the entirety of the journey too, hoping that Leon isn’t out and about. Or Gloria. Or anyone really. She spots Gran eyeing her suspiciously so she tries to lessen her fidgeting.

Thankfully they get to the hotel without bumping into anyone they know, and the rest of the night goes by without any event. Hop clears off to his own room after making sure everything’s okay, his phone firmly in hand no doubt ready to text Gloria about his arrival. To save money, Sonia is sharing a room with her Gran. It’s not ideal, because she certainly would rather be on her own, but finances are sure to be tight in the upcoming months and she needs to save every penny for baby things later on.

The first day there there is relatively uneventful as well. Gloria is there to greet them when they arrive downstairs to make their way to the conference hall, and they spend some time catching up (without mentioning anything regarding pregnancy, though Sonia can see Hop is a little fidgety, probably because he isn’t used to keeping secrets from his best friend). Sonia also makes a point to ask Gloria if she could keep notes on Eternatus (for purposes of her research) and the young girl agrees without hesitation.

By midday, the rest of the guests begin to arrive. She recognizes Professors Kukui and Sycamore from their online photos and they immediately approach her, shake her hand and then with coffees and tea in hand they all spend some time sat around a table in a deep discussion regarding theories on potential connections between Mega Evolution, aura Pokémon and Dynamaxing. It’s a fascinating discussion and it almost makes her forget about everything else that is going on in her life. She’s also introduced to a few other professors, including Professor Elm of Johto, Professor Birch of Hoenn and Professor Rowan of Sinnoh. When she meets Professor Juniper from Unova, a beautiful young brunette woman who only seems to be a few years older than her, it assuages some of her concerns that she might not be good enough or experienced enough to be here, something which she had admitted to her Gran on the night of their arrival which had caused the old lady to scoff and tell her not to be so ridiculous.

The evening is capped off by Gran introducing her to _the_ Professor Oak himself and while some of those old insecurities do come rushing back initially, he is extremely friendly and expresses keen interest in hearing all about her research. She’s especially taken aback when he reveals that he’s actually _read_ her book and that he’d thoroughly enjoyed it, and that simple knowledge makes her entire evening.

Day two is when the actual conferences really get under way and the press begins to get involved. Hers is due in the evening, something she is honestly thankful for given that the following day would require her to be down at Wyndon Hospital to attend her scan. She’s already fully prepared for it; despite Gran’s wishes to attend the appointment with her, she’s managed to persuade her to remain at the conference and act in her stead (though at that point it’s mostly going to be note-taking which Hop is more than capable of).

The evening rolls around and despite her nerves, she thinks she does a good job of answering questions concisely as she talks about her discoveries regarding Dynamax, her discussions with Gloria about monitoring Eternatus (which some of the press are really loud about given the whole Darkest Day thing from all that time ago – then again, there have been some reporters who have vocalized criticisms of Gloria even keeping the poison dragon around as a whole) and the upcoming research she has planned out with Professors Sycamore and Kukui. She emerges from the speaking platform feeling both immensely relieved and proud of herself; she’s really showcased that she’s more than capable of following in her Gran’s footsteps.

But when she gets out into the lobby her heart leaps into her throat and catches there, because she sees _him_ there, talking to Hop and Gloria. He’s every bit as handsome as usual, looking incredibly dashing in his Battle Tower outfit, which oddly doesn’t seem so mismatched and silly as some of his other usual clothing choices. She debates quickly darting to the lift and heading straight for her room without making any eye contact or saying hello, but Hop spots her and begins to wave her over enthusiastically, causing her to realize she’s caught. If she leaves now without saying anything it would be too suspicious.

So with a sharp inhale and exhale she makes her way over, plastering a smile on her face, “Hey there, how is everything?”

“Good,” Leon replies casually, and his demeanour gives off the impression that it’s as if nothing had ever happened between them, which stings her just a little bit, “I’ve just closed up the Battle Tower for the day. I wanted to come down and listen to your talk but there was a last minute challenger for me so I only caught the end of it.”

He looks almost sheepish as he says that, and she has to fight to ignore the intense fluttering in her heart because while it has occurred to her that he might come down out of a desire to talk to her, the fact that he wanted to hear her conference is so out of left field that she can’t help but feel flattered.

She rather shyly tucks a lock of her hair behind her ear, “Really? I didn’t think you’d be interested in this sort of thing.”

He shrugs, running a hand through his own hair, “Well, I figured you’d probably have some good stuff, given how smart you are. From what I’ve heard, you did really good.”

Hop speaks up, completely oblivious to any tension that might be between them, “Oh yeah, she was really great up there! The professor – Ms. Magnolia – was really proud!”

That fills her with warmth too, knowing that her Gran really was proud of her even in spite of everything els - _oh yeah._

Her expression must have changed. The atmosphere must have changed _. Something_ must have changed enough for Gloria to get a strange look in her eyes, a look of almost recognition, because she turns to Hop with a look that would melt chocolate and hooks her arm in his, “Can I borrow you for a minute, Hop? Alone?”

The young lad is clearly stunned, his cheeks flushing pink and he stammers, “O-oh, yeah, okay then! Right you are, mate!”

 _No, please don’t leave me alone,_ her brain thinks but they’ve already gone, scuttling off to a separate part of the room arm in arm, and now she’s alone with him and her heart is racing again because she’s not ready to have this conversation, not ready to tell him what is transpiring, not ready for any of it. She smiles at him slightly, trying her hardest to appear normal, before her mind thinks of something to say and she gestures in the direction the two teens had left in, “They’re pretty cute together.”

He’s smiling too, but there’s an air of discomfort that she senses and she has to wonder if _he’s_ even really ready to have this conversation. He replies, “Yeah. Gloria’s been missing him, I think. She seemed pretty excited when I told her Hop was coming up for this thing.”

“Mm… Hop’s been missing her too. When we’re working, he gets this goofy little smile on his face when he’s talking about her. It’s quite sweet, really.”

“Bless him,” he says, his hand back in his hair, “I’m happy for them, though. If, you know, they are a thing.”

“Yeah,” she mumbles, because she’s starting to feel uncomfortable now that the subject seems to have run its course, and she’s starting to think that now she should probably find an excuse to leave, “Anyway, um… I need to get an early start tomorrow, so I should probably-”

“Sonia,” he interrupts, reaching across to grab her arm and in that moment she swears she feels an electric shock running through her – not the unpleasant kind that comes with stroking Yamper when he’s electrically overcharged, but the kind that feels nice, and that she maybe wants more of. He’s looking at her with a determined expression, his golden eyes boring right into hers and her heart races, “Look… I just wanted to say I’m sorry. For everything. I should’ve stopped things before they went as far as they did.”

_Does he really want to talk about this **now? Here?** With all these people around?_

She doesn’t reply. She breaks eye contact, focusing her attention on his hand on her arm, trying to suppress the memory of that hand, along with his other one, running all over her body. He carries on, undeterred, “I just want you to know that… I care about you. A lot. And -”

He pauses, closing his eyes briefly in thought before reopening them looking quite frustrated as if he’s lost his train of thought, “Sorry, it’s just I had what I was going to say all planned out in my head – but I want to talk. If you’re ready to, that is. I’ve got some things I need to tell you. Things that are better off said in private.”

She bites the inside of her cheek, because she’s still not sure she’s ready but she knows that she cannot keep this a secret from him forever, and the way he’s looking at her now is filled with so much desperation that she doesn’t think she can bring herself to turn him down. She takes a shaky breath, “I… I need to get up early for tomorrow, Leon.”

“Oh,” he breathes, the tone of his voice clearly hurt as he gently releases her arm, “Okay. That’s fine.”

 _I need to do this. I need to rip the plaster off now or else it’ll only hurt worse later on,_ “But maybe… maybe tomorrow evening we could talk. If you’re not busy, that is.” _Please be busy, please be busy, please be busy…_

“I won’t be,” he replies, perhaps too eagerly, a new hope brimming on his face, “I’ll make sure that I won’t be.”

The smile on her face is strained but she nods her agreement, “Great. I’ll see you tomorrow then… um, your place? Five o’clock?”

“Yeah,” he grins, seeming to be more restless as he’s fidgeting, “Sounds good to me. See you then!”

She nods and walks away to the lifts before he can say anything that will make her want to stay, because if she stays then she’s almost certainly going to have a wobble and try to bail out of the plans she’s just made. _It needs to be done,_ she thinks to herself, _the sooner I get it over with, the better._

She arrives back at her room and is relieved to find that Gran hasn’t returned yet (probably still engaged in intellectual and academic discussion with the other professors). Pulling out her pregnancy notes ready for tomorrow’s appointment, she tries to calm herself by taking deep breaths.

_After the ultrasound, I’m going to tell him._

* * *

He’d only gone down there to see Hop, or at least that’s what he keeps telling himself. After all, he promised his little brother a battle and when it comes to Hop he always tries his hardest to keep his promises. Sure, he definitely _wanted_ to see Sonia (perhaps more than he wants to see his own brother and that makes him feel like a bit of an arse) but he also knew he wanted to give her the space she likely desired… but it was so _hard_ especially knowing that she was in the same city!

So when he’d finished his battles for that day he went down there, with the excuse in his head that he’d just listen to her conference and then he would strictly be there for Hop (so that if he didn’t catch her after her talk he might not be _too_ disappointed) and hey, if he happens to see her, then perhaps he can get a foot in the door _at least._

The result he’s gotten is one he can’t help but feel chuffed about because it’s more than he expected.

“You look happy,” Gloria remarks when Leon finds them later on, a knowing look on her face that thankfully Hop seems to miss. It’s a sharp reminder to the former champion to tone things down so he clears his throat awkwardly and tries to look a little more casual, “Yeah well, it’s been a while since we’ve talked.”

“Hmm,” She doesn’t look too convinced but she doesn’t question things any further. The three of them leave the hotel and head towards Gloria’s place, which is a beautiful flat overlooking the park, which has a decently-sized battlefield on it. It’s no stadium, but it’ll do nicely for his and Hop’s promised match.

The match goes about as expected: Hop has certainly been training hard since their last battle as he manages to take out most of his team but in one last clutch moment Charizard pulls it back into his favour, granting him the victory. Hop groans at the loss initially, but upon recalling Zamazenta into its Poké Ball, his face lights up into a smile again. He walks across the field and shakes his hand, almost as if they’re in some official match even though they’re not and he congratulates him on the victory while promising that he’ll train harder because _damn_ is he determined to beat him one day.

Gloria, who has been watching the match with keen interest, gets up off of the grass and brushes herself down, “That was a _great_ match! You’ve gotten so much stronger, Hop!”

“Thanks,” the younger brother says sheepishly, a hand flying to the back of his head, “Maybe… you and I can have a match again sometime?”

“I’d like that,” Gloria’s eyelashes flutter as she says it and Leon has to look away, as he feels like he’s potentially intruding on a moment.

She ends up inviting them inside her flat and ordering a takeaway for them, something neither brother can really say no to. Leon hasn’t eaten since lunch time and he’s positively _famished_. The three end up talking about Pokémon battling for at least an hour as they help themselves to some food, and it’s nice because it’s helping calm his nerves because he knows that tomorrow he’s going to see Sonia and he’s going to try and tell her how he feels.

After they’ve eaten Hop falls asleep on the sofa, so Gloria fetches a blanket and fondly drapes it over him. Poor boy had to have been working himself hard for the past few days and with the addition of their battle all of the excitement must have gotten to him. He thinks that perhaps he should leave, but before he can Gloria is shooting him a pointed look, “So it was Sonia you upset?”

Of course. Gloria’s smart. She’d seen through the ‘I’ve got a friend’ crap straight away. He knows he’s got nothing to gain from lying so he nods stiffly, “Yeah.”

She gently strokes her chin with her finger as she takes her seat in the armchair again, “Do you want to tell me what you did?”

“Not particularly,” he replies. He doesn’t mean to sound rude, but Gloria’s still young and he’s already told one person about this, one person more than he perhaps should have done. She seems to take it in stride, to his relief, but he still feels like he needs to follow up with, “It’s nothing personal. It’s just… what happened, it’s kind of personal. She doesn’t want people knowing about it.”

“Fair enough,” she says with a shrug, and she doesn’t speak for a few minutes because she’s clearly thinking of how to word what she wants to say next. Eventually, she speaks up again, “Sonia’s a good friend to me. She’s been through a lot.”

“I know.”

“Just…” Gloria’s biting her lip again, looking very discomforted, like she doesn’t really want to be here saying this because she’s good friends with both of them and she doesn’t want to make it look like she’s taking sides, “Don’t mess her around. Please.”

He’s unsure of how to reply, given that he technically already _has_ messed her around by sleeping with her, even if they were both drunk. But he doesn’t intend on doing that any more so he nods again, “I’ll try not to.”

“Good,” the girl juts her chin upwards slightly with a small smile, “Because… well, you know if you do, you’ll have me to deal with.”

“And her Gran,” he chuckles, running a hand through his hair again and Gloria laughs as well. They must have been laughing a little too loudly as Hop shifts on the sofa, letting out a mumble which leads to Gloria getting up and stroking his hair gently, “It’s okay, go back to sleep…” she whispers and he sighs and rolls over with a small smile on his lips.

She looks up at Leon now, her brows creased slightly, “Don’t say a _word_.”

“I wasn’t going to,” he put his hands up in defence, because even if they’re still young he knows they’re sensible, more sensible than him in any case and if Hop is _this_ knackered he doubts anything would happen between them anyway – or at least he _hopes_ that’s the case. He’s relatively sure now that there’s something going on between them that extends beyond best mates. There can’t _not_ be.

He still can’t help but ask though, “Will he be alright here, staying with you?”

She nods without hesitation, “Of course. I doubt the hotel will even care given that he’s still paying for his room.”

“Right.”

He hangs around awkwardly, something Gloria promptly notices which causes her to give him a stern look, “Relax. I’m not about to steal your baby brother’s innocence.”

“I wasn’t thinking that!” he blurted out (even though he was, to his shame) and he can feel his cheeks heating.

But then her lips curl up into a smirk and he can’t help but relax as it’s clear she’s only messing with him, “Right,” he mumbles, “I’d better be off. Take care of him, yeah? He’s the only brother I’ve got.”

She mock-salutes in reply, “Yes, sir. And good luck with Sonia.”

“Thanks,” and with that, he leaves. The journey back to his own flat is peacefully quiet. He feels like a weight has been lifted from his shoulders, much like Gloria has given some sort of blessing even though her words were more along the lines of awkward threats for if he steps a foot out of line. Thankfully, he doesn’t intend to put a foot out of line and cause Sonia any more upset. Goodness knows he’s done that enough already and he cares for her so much that he doesn’t want to do that any more.

When he gets in he puts the telly on for a while and allows Sonia to enter his thoughts without resistance.

* * *

The following day is just as warm as the day prior, so Sonia doesn’t bother to put a jacket on when she leaves to go to Wyndon Hospital. It would perhaps be nice if it were a little chillier though because the heat is definitely starting to play havoc with her nausea. Nobody seems to pay any notice to her leaving with the exception of her Gran, who once again asks if she’s _quite_ sure she wants to attend this appointment alone, which she is, and an insistent affirmation of that is enough to satiate the older woman. Arceus knew she was going to be a nervous wreck enough as it was, she didn’t need Gran adding to her anxiety and besides… she felt like she needed to do this alone. Even if it’s just for this one time, she feels that she needs to see her child completely on her own terms.

 _I think this might be the first time I’ve thought of it as **mine** ,_ she thinks to herself, and it’s true. Up until now, she’d always thought of it as his baby or just as a baby, almost as if it were an unwelcome tenant that had taken up residence in her womb because she’d accidentally left the door open one night. It’s taken until just recently for her mind to accept and come to terms with the fact that this child is just as much _hers_ , if not more so, given that her body’s the one doing all the work now. It _almost_ makes her feel like she may have already formed a connection but she’s not entirely sure about that yet.

With her pregnancy notes stuffed deep into the bottom of her bag and Yamper remaining eagerly alongside her with his tongue lolling out, she calls for a Flying Taxi, especially since she isn’t entirely sure _where_ Wyndon Hospital even is to begin with. Wyndon itself is such a huge city, one that she’s not familiar with, and she’s got no doubt in her mind that if she’d tried to find it on her own she’d end up as lost as Leon usually gets just wandering around Wedgehurst.

It’s a short journey, and she gratefully tips the taxi driver before recalling Yamper to his Poké Ball (she imagines they wouldn’t appreciate _any_ risk of electrical disturbance) and setting foot inside the hospital. It’s very sterile-looking and packed solid with people, most of them seemingly sat in the reception waiting for loved ones.

She approaches the reception desk with another one of her pasted on smiles (because she’s still nervous even if she feels she’s starting to come to terms with it), and asks where she needs to go. The receptionist points her towards the lift and stairs, telling her that the Maternity Unit is on Floor B and giving her a rough idea of where she needs to go. She thanks him and leaves, opting for the lift because even if it’s only on the floor above this one she still doesn’t much fancy climbing stairs right now.

The whole entirety of Floor B seems to be dedicated to maternity services and Sonia can’t get over how _huge_ the place is. The whole floor doesn’t seem to have the overly clean looking white of Floor A, but rather a gentle soft shade of blue which feels a lot more welcoming, and that extends to the floor as much as the walls. Remembering the receptionist’s directions, she heads left and walks down the corridor, making sure to keep an eye out for signs. Eventually she stumbles upon a decently sized waiting room exposed by large windows (the receptionist had assured her it would be easy to spot) and upon checking the signs to make sure she’s in the right place, she enters.

Upon approaching the receptionist of this desk she is greeted with a warm smile, and after giving her name the lady hands a form to her which she promptly fills in and returns before settling down to wait.  
  
There are a few other women around, a couple of which with small children of their own who seem to be toddling around curiously, getting their hands on absolutely anything and everything they could find. When one of them stumbles towards her, she can’t help but smile as his cute little face splits into a wide (albeit snotty) grin and he begins babbling incoherently to her. The boy’s mum quickly hurries over, muttering a quick apology and pulling the boy back over to where she was chatting with a friend, leaving her alone with her thoughts again.

She wonders vaguely what she’s in for as the nerves are starting to really kick in, which isn’t ideal given her full bladder (which the hospital had advised her on). Perhaps she _should’ve_ let Gran come along. Or better yet, she could have invited Nessa (but then again that may not be a great idea given how recognizable she is, and the last thing she wants right now is to be noticed). Irregardless she’s now starting to feel very lonely, very uncertain and the fact that she’s promised to go and see Leon tonight isn’t helping the heavy weight that’s currently on her chest.

After a good half an hour of uncomfortable waiting (during which the mother with the small boy has already left following her scan and Sonia’s probably daydreamed of using the toilet more than once) she finally hears her name being called, “Sonia Magnolia?”

_This is it. Time to meet you. Sort of._

Bowing her head in an attempt not to meet any of the remaining women’s eyes, she makes her way into a small, dark room with a large chair in the middle which has one of them fancy swivelling computer monitors right by it. The lady appears to be very friendly, her thick, tangled blonde hair is tied back into a ponytail and her face is in a wide smile.

“Hi, I’m Dr. Kamashiro, it’s very nice to meet you,” she shakes her hand gently, “You’re here for your dating scan, is that right?”

“Yeah,” she replies, completely unsure of what to say as the doctor releases her hand. At least she’d looked things up online ahead of time so she knew that in her case ‘dating scan’ and ‘twelve week scan’ were the same thing.

“Did you bring your notes?”

She’d almost forgotten about those. Sonia quickly dives into her bag and retrieves them; they’re a tad crumpled from being buried under Yamper’s Poké Ball and her Meal Deal lunch but still perfectly eligible. Upon receiving them, Dr. Kamishiro thumbs through the notes briefly before putting them down and turning to face her.

“Have you ever had an ultrasound before?” she asks, batting her hand against some soap dispenser that’s on the wall without looking at it.

“I haven’t really been in a hospital for years,” she admits while shaking her head, “I think the last time was when I was eight and I had to have my tonsils out. So… yeah, it’s been a while.”

“Ah yes, I saw that in your notes,” she replies with a soft chuckle, “Fortunately an ultrasound isn’t anywhere _near_ as invasive as having a tonsillectomy. A bit cold, but otherwise perfectly straightforward and painless. Could I ask you to lie down for me?”

Sonia sits on the large chair in the centre of the room, trying to calm her heart rate while the doctor is making preparations. She pulls her feet up and leans back, trying to think of something to say, because maybe if she says something it may quell her nerves. She knows the doctor’s accent, recognizes it from her brief introduction to Professor Rowan yesterday, so maybe that could be something, “Is that a Sinnoh accent?” she blurts out.

“Yeah,” the doctor replies gently, “I grew up there. Only moved here a few years ago, in fact.”

“What’s it like over there?” she asks, because keeping this chain of conversation going means she doesn’t have to deal with her anxiety and the many, many thoughts whizzing around her mind.

“Cold,” the doctor wrinkles her nose, “Well, for me it was anyway. I grew up in Snowpoint City, which is way up north. It’s constantly snowing up there. Southern Sinnoh is much nicer weather-wise but I’ve only been down south there a handful of times when I was little so I don’t remember it very well.”

Sonia appreciates this, because already she can feel the knot in her stomach loosening slightly, “How does Galar compare?”

“Compared to Snowpoint, it’s blazing,” she laughs, “But I still think Southern Sinnoh is probably hotter. Anyway, we’re ready to begin now. Could you lift your shirt up just to underneath your bra and pull your trousers down slightly so that they’re resting on your hips please?”

She does so, feeling glad she’d chosen a plain top that she doesn’t mind getting creased. The doctor pulls some tissues out of a box and hands them to her, instructing her to tuck them around her top and jeans so that they were protected, which she does, feeling rather uncomfortable.

“This might be a bit cold,” the sonographer says with an assuring tone as she begins to apply some gel to her stomach. _She’s not kidding, this stuff **is** cold! _

She then pulls out a contraption that looks much like a probe (which she confirms is _exactly_ what it’s called) and somewhat firmly presses it to her stomach, “This is going to release ultrasound waves into your stomach,” the doctor explains, “these waves will bounce back and should reveal a picture of your baby and… ah, here we are!”

She twists the computer screen towards her and Sonia swears that just for a second she feels her heart stop because there, on that screen, is a black and white image of a tiny baby who is kicking its legs. Granted, it’s black and white and the image isn’t the clearest thing in the world, but she can clearly distinguish between its head, torso and limbs. The doctor applies some more pressure to her belly, while talking her through what she was looking at and scribbling some notes down. Sonia wonders if this is what falling in love with your own child feels like. She doesn’t even notice that she needs the toilet any more. She feels… content. Perhaps even happy.

That is, until the doctor’s brows come together in a slight frown and Sonia’s emotions go straight from something close to happiness to terror, “Hold on, bear with me a moment.”

Sonia’s mouth goes dry, “Is… is it alright? It’s not ill or anything is it?”

“Oh no!” the doctor replies, a smile curling across her face, “Nothing like that at all. _This_ baby appears to be perfectly healthy and is developing as it should be.”

Sonia notices the emphasis placed on the word ‘this’ and her mouth continues to feel dry and the knot in her stomach feels like it’s making a comeback. What on earth could she mean by ‘ _this_ baby?’

“Well…” the doctor turns to her, her smile growing wider, “This is quite a surprise. You _definitely_ haven’t had any scans before this one?”

“I already said I haven’t,” it comes out as a snap though she doesn’t really mean any it to. She’s just so nervous because there’s something going on here, something she didn’t account for, and she’s not sure if it’s going to be good news or not.

“Right, well…” the doctor began, not bothered by Sonia’s tone at all, “I’ve just double-checked and the ultrasound has definitely picked up on a second baby. It seems that you’re expecting twins, Miss Magnolia.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there! Thanks again for the comments, they are very much appreciated! I hope everyone is doing okay and are staying safe.


	7. Two Babies and an Applin

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Sonia?” he asks and he sounds so genuinely worried that it breaks her heart.  
> She squeezes her eyes shut to try and stem the flow of tears, “Perhaps it’ll be easier just to show you. Just… don’t hate me. Please.”  
> He strokes her shoulder, “Sonia, there’s nothing you can do that can make me hate you.”

_Twins?_

_No, that can’t be right, it can’t be…_

“Are you quite sure?” Sonia asks shakily.

“Yes, absolutely sure,” the doctor replies, but she needn’t have bothered. The look on her face told Sonia everything she needed to know.

_I’m having twins._

She’s only just come to terms with having _one_ baby, for fuck’s sake. Now it turns out she’s going to be having _two?_ How on earth is she going to cope with _two_ of them? How can she face Gran with continued certainty of her ability to cope now that she knows she’ll have _twice_ the workload? How on earth is she going to break the news to Leon that he’s about to become a father twice in one go because of one mistake? She still hasn’t quite worked out how she’s going to tell him that she’s pregnant to begin with!

The doctor squeezes her hand, “I’m not surprised it’s come as a shock. I don’t think any expectant mother expects to be carrying more than one. Will you be alright?”

Sonia can feel her eyes stinging as tears threaten to fall, but she manages to choke back a sob and regain composure, at least for now, “Yeah,” she says, trying to ignore the wobble in her voice, “Yeah, I’m just… shocked.”

The doctor passes her some tissue, almost as if she senses that Sonia wants to cry – and she _does_ want to, she wants nothing more than to lock herself in a room where nobody can hear or get to her and cry her heart out, but she won’t do it here. She doesn’t want to end up in a difficult conversation about whether or not she wants to keep these babies, because in spite of _all_ of this she still doesn’t want to abort them or even put them up for adoption, especially now that she’s looking at the screen again and can see the second baby and feels just as strongly about this one as she did the other.

The doctor spends some time on the second baby, making notes much like she did with the first and noting all of its features, before saying that this one appears to be perfect and healthy as well. She asks Sonia if she’d like photos of the babies to which she replies “yes” without even really thinking about it. A few clicks later and the probe is lifted from her belly. She’s handed some paper towels to wipe the gel off which she does so numbly while the doctor finishes writing some more notes down.

“Right, I’ve written down everything that I can, including your estimated due date,” she says with a bright smile, even though Sonia doesn’t feel much like smiling, “It matches up with what your midwife has written down, but obviously with this being a multiple pregnancy, she might want to make a plan with you regarding your eventual delivery.”

Sonia nods, still feeling numb. When the doctor asks if she has any questions, she shakes her head because right now she wants nothing more than to just leave and hide away somewhere.

Dr. Kamishiro shakes her hand one more time before she leaves, “Good luck with your pregnancy. I’ll look forward to seeing you again for your twenty-week scan if you're headed this way. If you pop to the reception, you can pick up the photos I’ve had printed for you. If you have _any_ questions, I’m sure your midwife will be able to answer them. Please take care!”

With that Sonia steps outside towards reception, though part of her debates just leaving and not bothering with the photos, but since she’s agreed to have them it seems rude to just walk out without claiming them. She ends up needing to pay for them (though they’re cheap at just 100 poké each), something she’s not entirely sure if Dr. Kamishiro mentioned because she was so lost in thought and anxiety, wondering if it was even possible for her to have fucked her life up any more than what she has because she doesn’t know how she’s going to cope, especially if he decides he wants nothing to do with this.

After that she leaves, taking long strides out of the unit and down the corridor to the nearest toilet, because she’s quickly remembering that her body’s desperate for a wee. She nearly breaks down in the toilets but the sound of another woman coming in and entering the cubicle next to her puts a stop to that, so she quickly wipes away the stray tears that had already found their way out and puts her brave face back on. Once she’s out of the hospital she rings for another Flying Taxi to take her straight back to her hotel, with every intention of just going straight into her room and – provided Gran’s not there – having a bloody good long cry.

On the way back, she pulls out the sonogram photos and glances at them, making note of the perfect curves of her babies’ heads and spines and counting their little fingers (where she could see them anyway as number two had decided to roll onto its side and grace her with a full on face shot). She feels disgusted with herself because this should be a happy moment and it isn’t. She’s sure she feels _something_ for them along the lines of love, but she can’t help but wonder if her heart just isn’t thinking logically and if this is just some maternal clock inside of her deciding to make itself known in a very vocal manner.

Either way, she knows she has to go to Leon’s later on and explain what is happening and that terrifies her just as much as the thought of bringing two babies into this world.

She makes it back to her room without much fuss or notice as it seems that those attending the conference were already in a talk. Professor Juniper’s, she believes. She was disappointed to learn her appointment time clashed with her talk, but right now she doesn’t really care. Besides, Hop and Gran are attending and making mental notes of anything interesting she might say.

With no one around, she lets everything out. Tears stream down her cheeks, her chest shakes with heavy sobs and she can barely stand as a result of how overwhelmed she feels. She probably spends at least a good twenty to thirty minutes like this, curled into the side of her bed, feeling so alone and angry with herself. _I mean yes, he’s attractive, but why did I have to throw myself at him? Why do I always fuck everything up?_

She doesn’t hear the door open and doesn’t hear Gran coming in until she feels her hand on her shoulder and hears her asking, “Are you alright, dear?”

She doesn’t answer immediately, just squeezes her eyes shut to wring out the last of her tears and hastily wipes her eyes. She could say it’s nothing, very easily. But this is Gran. Gran’s not a fool. So she shakes her head.

“Come, sit down,” she pats Sonia’s bed with the hand that was on her shoulder, gripping her cane tightly in her other hand as she slowly turns to sit herself. Sonia pulls herself up and sits next to her, and in one of Gran’s rare displays of affection, the older woman puts an arm around her shoulder and gives her a small squeeze, “Is there something wrong with it?”

Sonia shakes her head again, “No, nothing like that.”

“Then why the tears?”

She pauses, letting out a sigh, before she finally says it, “There’s two of them.”

The former professor raises an eyebrow at her, looking somewhat surprised but not as much as Sonia expected, “I see.”

The redhead lowers her head into her hands, covering her face, and with a heavy heart admits the truth, “I don’t know what to do.”

Gran doesn’t reply immediately, but eventually says in her usual calm no-nonsense tone, “Nobody can decide what to do but you. There are options open to you, there always have been. You will always have our support, no matter what you decide.”

“I think I still want to keep them,” she says, and that’s one thing she feels sure of. She’s not against abortion in general, but in this case, for her, she knows she’ll never get over the guilt. Not now that she’s actually seen them and she’s felt that connection. She’s not keen on adoption either still, the thought of giving either one of them up makes her feel ill. Regardless of how they came to be they are _hers_ and she doesn’t want anybody else raising them, “I just don’t know how I’m going to manage.”

“Have you spoken to the father yet?”

_Great. I should’ve known she’d bring this up._

She shakes her head, “No, but I will soon.”

Gran’s nose flares again, but she doesn’t say anything. Perhaps she wants to and is thinking better of it, because she certainly looks like she’s holding something back. Sonia decides to divert Gran before she _does_ say something, so she grabs her bag and pulls out the scan photos, gently passing them to her.

The former professor’s lips curve up into a grin, “You know, we didn’t have these back in my day.”

Sonia can’t help but smile, “I know, Gran.”

Gran runs a thin finger over the face of baby number two, “Remarkable,” she whispers before turning to face Sonia again, “I am proud of you, you know. It takes a lot of strength to continue to work with such excellence while undergoing such strong changes to your personal life.”

It doesn’t completely eradicate Sonia’s anxiety, but the words certainly help ease some of it, if only because she’s always wanted Gran to tell her she’s proud and while she has done so on a few occasions before (like when she first became an official professor) she never tires of hearing it. At least there’s one person she knows will always have her back no matter what, as well as Granddad, Nessa and Hop… well, there’s more than one person who’s been supportive.

_But will the one person that matters be supportive?_

It’s almost as if Gran could read her mind, “Tell him, dear. If it is who I think it might be, then he’s a good man who cares about you a lot. I’m sure he will help you.”

She isn’t too surprised. Even without telling Gran, the woman is too smart for her own good. She still won’t say it though. Not aloud. Not until she knows what he has to say about this. She only nods in reply and the rest of the time they spend in the room together is in relative silence.

She does leave eventually to catch the last of Professor Birch’s talk since it’s the last talk of the day. It gives her something to take her mind off of what she’s going to have to do.

* * *

_This is stupid,_ Leon thinks as he trails along Route 5, looking and feeling like a bit of an idiot.

He’d fired off a text to Raihan as soon as he’d gotten up in the morning, and after some back and forth he’d gotten the suggestion to perhaps give her an Applin (figures a dragon type master would be one to suggest giving her a bloody dragon). He initially shrugs this idea off as it’s the sort of thing he expects kids or young teenagers to do, not a fully grown adult in his twenties. But when push comes to shove, he finds that he can’t really think of anything else. Hence why he’s here now, trailing along the lower part of the route in the early afternoon trying to find one of the little grass dragons and feeling like an idiot.

He’s _so_ tempted to turn back and return to Wyndon. Perhaps somebody else will have a better idea, or perhaps he’ll be able to wing it (though he doesn’t want to pin all his hopes on that as goodness knows he’s come out with some shit in the past). It’s not like he’s having much luck at this anyway. He should call time on this idea.

That is, until he finally spots one of the little apple-shaped Pokémon snuffling around in some thick grass. He watches it for a few minutes, taking in it’s shiny red rotund appearance while it pauses and regards him with large, green eyes. He’s never raised an Applin – he already has two perfectly good dragons that he alternates in and out of his team so he’s never seen the need before. Though he probably won’t be the one really raising it if he goes through with this since he’s the one who would be giving it to her… does she even have _time_ to raise another Pokémon?

He’s so lost thinking about it that the Applin nearly makes a getaway, and that’s enough to give him the push he needs to just _go_ for it. After all, what’s the worst that could happen? He can always give the little guy to Milo or Raihan if it doesn’t pan out… though he hopes that if it comes to that then they don’t end up getting the wrong idea.

_Well, Raihan won’t. This was his stupid idea. But he’ll never let me live it down._

He readies a Quick Ball and approaches slowly before tossing it. The ball absorbs the little Pokémon, closes and drops to the floor. It shakes, and he hopes that he doesn’t have to bring out Haxorus to use False Swipe on it, because he imagines that would appear to be overkill to anybody passing by. Thankfully after three shakes, the Quick Ball remains stationary, the Applin still inside.

He lets out a sigh of relief as he scoops the Ball into his hand, “Hey little guy. Sorry for the sudden capture. But there’s someone I think who might like to meet you. Or, you know, at least I hope she does.”

Turffield is closest so he heads to the Pokémon Centre there to check things over and make sure the little guy isn’t too shaken up. It isn’t, if anything it seems perfectly content being caught as it gently butts its head into his hand and seems to enjoy any attention it receives. At least when he takes it to Sonia it’s not going to be hard for her to handle, if she even accepts it. He hopes she does, not only for his own sake but for the sake of the Applin.

He fires off a text to Raihan to let him to know that he’s followed through on his dumb idea, and then stuffs his phone back in his pocket. He’s about to recall Applin into its Quick Ball when he sees Milo walk into the Pokémon Centre, an Applin of his own in his arms. The farmer spots him and shyly waves at him. After leaving his Applin with the nurse he stands opposite him, letting out a long sigh while his hands rest nervously behind his head.

“I don’t normally see you up here,” he mumbles, fiddling with his hands and his freckled cheeks pink, “I’m just… training a new member of the team, you know how it is.”

He just nods in reply. He doesn’t know Milo too well outside of League meetings from when he was the Champion, so he doesn’t really have much to say. For all Milo knows, it’s the same thing for Leon and he probably thinks he’s just training a new potential member of his team. He’s not sure how the Applin line stacks up compared to Haxorus and Dragapult though. Milo would, given that Applin is part Grass-type, and perhaps he should ask to throw him off the scent, but he doesn’t.

“Anyway, I’m sure that little guy is going to be really strong,” he says awkwardly after a period of silence, patting Leon’s little Applin on its head, “And this one too. Good luck to both of them, eh?”

“Yeah,” he says, his throat feeling dry. Milo is called over by the nurse to collect the Applin and he awkwardly waves goodbye with the little Pokémon in his arms before leaving, and Leon breathes a sigh of relief. He doesn’t seem to have any suspicions. Goodness knows this whole thing feels ridiculous enough as it is.

He recalls Applin to its Quick Ball and decides to hail down a Flying Taxi to get back to Wyndon. While it would be nice to ride on Charizard today, he’s not in any particular hurry to get back. The taxi driver is excited to be helping him today and after signing a League Card for him they are on their way. If anything, the taxi driver’s excited chattering is helping keep his nerves in check because he’s not having to think about what he’s about to do.

He checks his texts once he gets back to his flat. Raihan thankfully doesn’t seem to be taking the piss out of him like he thought he might have done.

_**Raihan:** _ **Nice 1 gd luck m8**

Nothing from Sonia, but maybe that’s a good sign. He lets Applin out of its Quick Ball again, and the little dragon glances around his living room with wide eyes. Eventually it starts to slowly make its way over to his telly and gently butt its head against it.

“Don’t get too settled, mate,” he laughs lightly, “You might not be staying here for long.”

He leans down next to the Pokémon and gently scoops it up into his arms again, “See, there’s someone I’d like you to meet. She’s a good friend of mine. Well… kind of. See, we did something stupid a while ago and things haven’t been right between us and since then I’ve kind of had her stuck in my head. Sounds stupid, I know, but…”

Applin just looks at him and Leon isn’t sure why he’s suddenly offloading on this little guy when it has just had its whole life changed in a matter of hours but he feels like now that he’s started he cannot stop, “A friend of mine said this is a good idea. I’m not even sure if it is, to be honest. But hey, I’ve got to try, right?”

The little apple dragon chirps and he has to admit it’s kind of cute, “Anyway, she’s great. I hope you get on good with her. If she says yes.”

 _Arceus, this isn’t a marriage proposal!_ He mentally snaps at himself. He checks the clock on the wall. Still another hour or so. He decides to put the telly on for a bit and sits on his sofa while Applin jumps off of his lap and settles beside him, its small stubby tail behind him curling around it and its eyes closing. Well, at least somebody isn’t worried about its upcoming performance.

 _This is stupid,_ he thinks, _Nothing to get so worked up about. It’s only Sonia._

Yet, it’s perhaps because it _is_ Sonia that he can’t stop running over in his head what he’s going to say, what he’s going to do. He doesn’t want to fuck this up. He _can’t_ fuck this up. He doesn’t want to think of the consequences if he _does_ fuck this up. Perhaps he may never see her again, or she’ll probably pretend he doesn’t exist. She might try and go back to being just friends ( _but if she were going to do that, it would have happened a lot sooner than this_ , he reasons).

Fifteen minutes before she’s due, he gently nudges Applin awake, “Sorry to disturb your sleep, little guy, but she’ll be here any minute now. Any chance I could hide you in my room for a bit? I’ll come get you when it’s time to meet her.”

Applin squints and seems to nod its whole body forward, before climbing into his arms sleepily. He slowly makes his way to his room, plopping the Pokémon on his bed, “I’m going to shut the door, okay?” he asks, but the apple dragon doesn’t reply, instead choosing to make itself comfortable while eyeing him lazily.

He shuts the door behind him and runs his hands through his hair nervously. He probably looks a state so he heads back into his room and grabs a comb, rifling through his hair quickly so that it looks at least a little bit more presentable. Applin is still looking at him, and if it had any distinctive facial expressions that weren’t limited to its eyes, Leon assumes it’d probably be amused right now. Or a tad annoyed with him for disturbing its nap. Or both.

“Sorry, mate,” he says, quickly patting it on its head before once again closing the door and leaving it to its own devices.

He quickly makes sure the living room is tidy. He doesn’t want her thinking he’s some kind of a slob.

Ten minutes until five o’clock. He takes deep breaths, trying to calm his nerves. It’s not working very well.

Five minutes until five o’clock. He runs through the words he wants to say again, including when he’ll eventually bring Applin out of his room to give to her.

Two minutes until five o’clock. He prays he won’t forget what to say. Runs everything through his head again.

He hears the buzzer for his flat. Another look at the clock shows that it’s five. It’s show-time.

_I can do this._

* * *

About half an hour before she needs to be at Leon’s, she attempts to call Nessa but is only greeted with the answering machine, so she leaves a quick message asking her to give her a call. She’s a bit disappointed as she’s hoping for some emotional support from somebody who knew all too well the difficulty she was having going through with this, but if she’s busy, then there’s little she can do.  
  
Fifteen minutes later she leaves her room, trying to ignore the knowing look on Gran’s face on her way out. She lets out Yamper on the way, because if she can’t gain any emotional support from her friend at the present moment, then she’ll gain it from her beloved Pokémon. He doesn’t hesitate to leap in excitement, running around her in a small circle and licking at her ankles, which makes her laugh.  
  
Unfortunately even the presence of Yamper doesn’t quite quell her anxiety as she turns into the street Leon's flat is on. She still doesn’t know what she’s going to say. She’s had a vague thought of just stuffing the scan photos into his hands and letting that be the thing that tells him because she doesn’t know if she’s going to be able to choke the words out. Heck, perhaps she could just stuff them through his door and leave? _No, knowing him, he might lose them and I won’t get them back. I want to keep them._  
  
That and he’d said he has things he needs to tell her. He can’t exactly do that if she isn’t _there_.

So she shuffles on, feeling shaky and nervous as she rings the buzzer for his flat and announces her arrival. Another buzz back allows her to enter the building and her legs shake even more and it takes every ounce of strength to keep moving towards the lift, to punch in his floor and travel up to it, to make her way to his door and knock on it.

_No turning back now._

When he answers he’s smiling widely at her but there’s a strange sort of energy around him that suggests he’s just as skittish and nervous as she is, and it doesn’t make her feel much better. After he’s ushered her inside, she can see for herself even more that this is definitely the case, as he’s fidgety while he’s asking her if she wants tea and biscuits and even more so when he’s getting them for her. She sits down on his sofa and takes in the appearance of the room. It’s spotless and nothing like what she imagined it to look like. _Has he cleaned up since the last time I came here?_

He hands her a cup of tea and a small plate with some biscuits on it and she thanks him quietly with a gentle lick of her lips. He sits beside her and there’s an uncomfortable silence, though he does at least acknowledge Yamper’s presence with a gentle scratch behind the ears and a warm hello.

Eventually, she breaks the silence first, “So… how was your day?”

He flushes a bit and looks down at his feet with a shrug, “Pretty quiet, considering. I took the day off. Had some errands to run. You?”

She shrugs as well, not quite sure how to even begin to tell him that she’s been at the hospital today having an ultrasound for the twelfth week of her pregnancy with bloody twins. She still hasn’t quite gotten her head around the ‘twins’ part herself. She eventually asks while hoping it doesn’t come across too suspicious, “I know this sounds strange but… can we talk about that in a bit?”

He seems surprised but he nods slowly, “Yeah, if you want.”

They fall silent again, with the only sound she’s aware of being the pounding of her heart, Leon’s steady breathing and Yamper’s soft snores as her companion seems to have fallen asleep. Her bag feels heavy, but she’s almost certain that’s because she’s aware of the presence of the scan photos, which she’d told herself she should show him. She _still_ isn’t sure how to go about that though, and she’s still petrified that he’ll want nothing to do with her, which is almost certainly going to affect her judgement.

She doesn’t have to think about that for long though, as he’s taken a deep breath and turned to face her, “Sonia, I’m sorry.”

She smiles weakly because she knows exactly what he’s apologizing for, “Me too. I… don’t normally behave like that when I’m drunk, believe me.”

She knows he can’t speak for what he’s like when he’s drunk given that this was the only time he has ever consumed alcohol, but she’s relieved when he nods with a smile, “Don’t worry, I don’t think that about you at all.”

 _Good,_ she thinks, _he doesn’t think I’m a tart_. Perhaps that has been part of her fear in regards to facing him, at least before the whole pregnancy thing. It’s not a thought that’s new to her, since she has never wanted to cause him to think lowly of her, even when she was a child. Perhaps that’s why dropping out of the gym challenge had been such a tough decision, and why she’s spent so many years following mentally tearing herself down for not achieving things on the level that he has. Deep down, she wants his approval as much as she wants Gran’s, which is just another on the list of reasons why she’s so scared of telling him… _this._

“But…” he begins again and she notices that he still looks nervous, “Things have changed.”

She nods again; he’s not wrong, “Yeah… they have.”

“I mean,” he clears his throat awkwardly, “when I was a kid we were just best mates and now-”

“Leon-”

“I’m… really not sure if I can say that any more.”

“Oh,” Sonia exhales, feeling her heart sink deep into her stomach. _I **did** ruin everything. He doesn’t want anything to do with me any more. He won’t want anything to do with this. Anything to do with **me.** _

Her despair must have been clear to him because he quickly grabs her hand, “I don’t mean that badly, Son! I mean-”

“Then what _do_ you mean?” she snaps, and she doesn’t necessarily mean to do it, but she can’t deal with this wishy-washy crap any more. She wants – no, _needs_ to know where she stands, because knowing where she stands means she can at least have a better chance of predicting where the hell this conversation is going to go.

“I care about you,” he blurts out, pink-cheeked and very flustered, “I always have and… I don’t completely regret what happened that night because it helped me realize some things.”

_Hold up. Is he saying what I think he’s saying?_

“I…” his face is turning from pink to red, “have something for you. If you want it.”

He disappears for a moment, getting to his feet and making his way over to the hallway. She frowns after him, wondering what the hell he’s playing at, while trying to ignore the heat in her own cheeks and the Butterfree in her stomach. She _thinks_ she's starting to have an idea of what he’s trying to tell her and while her heart wants to sing in joy because it’s nowhere near as bad as she imagined it to be (she still _does_ like him, even if she’s spent so long keeping it under wraps that it’s almost second nature to her because she’s sure he can’t be interested in _her_ of all people), she’s now also more scared than ever because one way or another she’ll have a long way to fall from her cloud.

He emerges from the hallway with an Applin in his arms, looking very red-faced and embarrassed. He smiles awkwardly, “Before you ask, this wasn’t my idea.”

Sonia can’t help but let out an awkward laugh, even though part of her brain is whirring wondering who’s idea this was and if he’s really doing this, really telling her that he likes _her_ without any alcohol affecting his brain. He holds the Applin out to her and she takes it with shaking hands, observing its large eyes gazing at her curiously.

She’s overwhelmed, not only because she wasn’t expecting _this_ from him but also because this is so uncharacteristically sweet. That’s not to say that he doesn’t have his moments – she can always count on him to offer reassurance and support and he’s always gotten her some nice little gifts on her birthday and Christmas, even during the time when they weren’t in contact due to Rose keeping him busy (something else she’ll never forgive the slimy prick for on top of the whole Darkest Day thing) – but this was on a whole other level.

But then it hits her that in six months time she’s going to be bringing twins into this world – _his_ twins – and she’s going to have her work cut out for her with just them alone, and now he wants to add an additional Pokémon to that workload? Granted, he isn’t aware yet so she can’t really blame him, but she still can’t help but feel slightly annoyed. Couldn’t he have done this on his own without seeking advice from- _wait._

“I… thought you weren’t going to tell anyone,” she remarks, probably sounding a little sharper than she intended.

He flushes a deeper red, looking rather guilty, “Yeah, well, I wanted to know how to go about this without you thinking I was only doing this for sex so I asked Raihan and-”

“You told _Raihan?_ ” she squeaks, a strong sense of alarm filling her stomach. _How much has he told him?_ Granted, she’s not as close with Raihan as Leon is, but she’s always been under the impression that the dragon tamer’s not the best at keeping things quiet, mostly because when he was a child on his Gym Challenge he had quite the loud braggart mouth on him (though to be fair to him, Leon hadn’t been much better as a kid), and not only that, she's never had him down as the committed relationship sort. But then again, maybe she’s wrong about that. She _hopes_ she’s wrong about that.

Leon at least has the good grace to look ashamed when he blurts out, “I know Son, I know I promised to keep it between us and I tried, but I’ve never experienced anything like this and… I just wanted someone to tell me how to make things right.”

She can’t entirely hold that against him, no matter how much she wants to. She _did_ tell Nessa after all. Even if it was ultimately because of the pregnancy, it still counts as exposing their secret because she, too, wanted someone to help push her in the right direction.

She’s still annoyed though, “Has he kept quiet about it?”

He runs his fingers across his lips, looking pretty confident while doing so, “He will. He’s a good bloke.”

She doesn’t immediately reply, because she’s still annoyed even though she knows she has no real right to be. Instead she focuses her attention on the Applin, which seems to be making itself comfortable on her lap. _It **is** cute,_ she thinks. She doesn’t really have the heart to turn it down, especially not after looking back up into Leon’s face and seeing how nervous he still is. She doesn’t think she’s seen him this nervous in quite a long time in fact, so it’s almost endearing.

He’s shifting from one foot to the other, “So… what do you think?”

She doesn’t know what to think. She’s sure she wants to, but she doesn’t think it’s fair on him if she agrees to trying for a closer relationship without him knowing exactly what he’s getting into. She licks her lips nervously, looking back down at the Applin, “So this is… are you asking me out?”

“Well… yeah, I guess. Only if you want to, though!” his smile is shy, and he’s not quite looking at her when he says this, instead opting to look from Applin in her lap to Yamper snoozing on the other end of the sofa.

She’s not sure what to do. She wants to cry. She wants nothing more than to say yes because she wants this just as much as he says he does, but she can’t shake the feeling that perhaps this is just him wanting to have sex with her again, and she feels awful for thinking so lowly of him when he’s _just_ said otherwise, but she cannot realistically see any other reason why he’d be asking _her_ to enter a relationship with him, when he can do so much better.

Then there’s the matter of the babies.

She chews her bottom lip, trying her hardest not to well up because _damn it_ she doesn’t want him to see her cry right now. Still, he must have noticed something’s not right because he’s sitting down next to her again and tentatively placing a hand on her shoulder, asking her if she’s alright and apologizing for putting her in such an awkward position, suggesting that she can forget he’s said anything if she prefers because if all she wants is his friendship then he doesn’t want to spoil things (though the disappointed and upset look on his face betrays how he really feels about that).

She shakes her head, “No… that’s not… It’s just…” she’s losing track of herself, and she needs to get her tongue under control, “I’d _love_ to but…”

He frowns, his brow creasing in that way that she finds so attractive, “But?”

She feels the familiar burn of tears yet again beginning to make themselves present, because there’s no turning back from this. She can’t _not_ tell him about this, not now when he’s sitting and looking at her with such worry and concern on his face, and not when he’s saying he wants a relationship with her (no matter what his reasons for it might be). She tries to speak but instead a sob escapes her throat and before she can stop him his arms are curled around her, Applin quickly jumping off of her lap and onto the floor to enable him to envelop all of her.

“Do you mean it?” she asks, feeling wetness begin to traipse down her cheeks.

“Every word,” he says and it looks like he means it, “I think I’ve felt it for a long time. Just… took that night to make me want to do something about it.”

“Look, I only ask because-” she begins, allowing for a quick shaky sob, “I have something to tell you. Something you need to know if you really mean this.”

He nods, still frowning in concern, though she wishes he wouldn’t because this is hard enough as it is. She backs away from him to reach for her bag, and he looks almost disappointed, though he doesn’t say anything about it. She opens her bag, her hands still shaking, and encloses her fingers around the scan photos, which are exactly where she’s left them in a small additional pocket.

“Today, I had to…” the words die in her throat and she has to fight back another sob, “I…”

“Sonia?” he asks and he sounds so genuinely worried that it breaks her heart.

She squeezes her eyes shut to try and stem the flow of tears, “Perhaps it’ll be easier just to show you. Just… don’t hate me. Please.”

He strokes her shoulder, “Sonia, there’s _nothing_ you can do that can make me hate you.”

She shakes her head, tensing slightly, “Don’t say that.”

“It’s true!” he exclaims almost desperately before he calms himself down and asks her quietly, “What is it, Son? Tell me.”

She takes a deep breath because this is the moment of truth, and it’s quite possibly the hardest thing she’s ever had to do but she somehow manages to slowly remove the scan photos from her bag and gently place them in the hand that’s not resting on her shoulder.

He frowns again, “What’s this?”

The tears are streaming down her face now without restraint, as with a shaky breath she starts to speak, “I went to the hospital today. T-to have a scan and-”

His face, which was red with embarrassment only a short while ago, is now turning pale as the realization seems to have hit him, and it’s at this moment that she feels her heart drop further than her stomach – it’s probably somewhere in the intestinal tract now. He wasn’t expecting this, that much is for certain, and if his reaction is any indication, he doesn’t want this either. He’s looking from one picture to the other, before glancing down at her belly, then her face, with his mouth hanging open and looking _so_ confused, “Are you saying-?”

She nods, wiping her eyes with her hands, “Yeah.”

“And it’s-”

“Yeah. I - I haven’t – you know – with anyone else.”

He’s shaking now, and she feels an overwhelming urge to apologize because she doesn’t want him to hate her, she has _never_ wanted him to hate her and yet this will certainly change everything between them forever.

She’s not sure if she needs to address it, given that there’s small notes on the edges of the photos with details, but she decides to say it anyway to make sure he’s fully aware of everything, “They’re twins.”

“Twins?” he repeats, though there is no emotion in his words, and he’s sinking back into the sofa, looking so very lost and afraid. _I’m sorry,_ she wants to scream. She wants to get on her knees and beg him for forgiveness but she knows it would be no good to anyone and it’s not as if this is entirely her fault no matter how much it might feel like it is. It takes two to tango, after all.

The atmosphere is stifling and Sonia can’t stand it. Even Applin and Yamper seem to sense it, as both are now wide awake and watching the two humans intensely. Leon doesn’t say anything. He’s not a stupid man, and he can work out roughly how long this has been going on, and even if he couldn’t, the information is right there on the photos, which after a few moments of uncomfortable silence, he hands back to her without a word.

“Do you want me to go?” she asks, because she’s not sure if she can stand this silence and tension any more, so perhaps she’ll be better off back in her hotel room, away from this, because she knows in her heart that whatever he says next is going to hurt, and she feels like she’s had enough hurt to last her a lifetime.

“I… think I need some time,” he finally admits, his voice shaking, “Just… it’s not you, I just need to… to think.”

“Okay,” she whispers, putting the photos back into her bag and getting to her feet, while feeling so incredibly numb, “Come on, Yamper.”

The little puppy Pokémon leaps off the sofa and moves to her feet. Applin glances from Leon to Sonia, and she feels like she needs to ask, “What about Applin?”

“He’s yours,” he mumbles and he sounds emotionless, almost _cold,_ “If you want him. If you don’t I’ll find a good home for him.”

“Right,” she says quietly and she looks at the little dragon. She feels bad for it, having been dragged into this mess, so she quickly makes a decision even though it may well be a hasty one given the circumstances, “You too then, Applin…”

Leon silently hands her a Quick Ball, presumably Applin’s, and she puts it in her bag before scooping the little Pokémon into her arms, “Bye then.”

“Yeah. Bye.”

He doesn’t see her out, but she’s able to hold Applin with one arm so she can shut his door behind her. She wanders out of the building five minutes later feeling numb, and while Applin and Yamper’s attempts to cheer her up are appreciated, they do not work. She eventually settles on a bench in the middle of Wyndon Park, because she knows if she goes back to her hotel room at this time, Gran will be there and she doesn’t think she can face her right now, plus the spot she’s chosen is quiet at present so she hopefully can take all the time she needs to calm herself down.

It’s at this point that she feels something inside of her break, well and truly. She’s fucked up. Fucked up more than she could have possibly imagined, and she’s pretty sure that he’s thinking that whatever affections he’s claiming to have for her aren’t worth the stress of raising two kids he never even asked for.

Applin gently bumps its head against her thigh while Yamper rests his head on her lap against her belly while she cries her heart out. She’s not sure how long she’s there for. It could have been anywhere between ten minutes to an hour, but eventually she feels a soft warm hand on her shoulder.

“Oh, Sonia… are you okay?”

She shakes her head. _Of course I'm not okay._

“Do you want to come to mine?”

She nods, because at least it means she won’t have to go back to her hotel room and face Gran, and at least she won’t be alone on the streets either. She gets to her feet, Yamper leaping down from the bench while she picks up Applin and tightly hugs it against her chest.

Then she follows Gloria through the park to her flat.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welp, that happened. Thanks again for your comments and such, it brings me joy at a time when things have been really sucky.


	8. Contemplations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He hasn’t allowed himself to think of him in a long time. Yet now, he’s plaguing his mind, and it’s not something he particularly wants to devote time to, because he’s past this. Or at least he thought he was.

She tells Gloria everything over a cup of steaming hot tea. She’s not entirely sure why she’s suddenly no longer bothered by the young Champion knowing, but she reasons that as Leon knows now that there’s little point in hiding it. Gloria is the closest thing to a little sister she’s known, and she just doesn’t want to be alone at present.

She offers wonderful support, much like she always has done, listening to every word without interrupting and gently hugging her when she needs it. Yamper and Applin play on the floor with Gloria’s little Charmander which she lets out specially while this is going on, and it at least warms Sonia’s heart that they’re getting on so well. Perhaps she needn’t worry about the addition of Applin to her little clan – Yamper will no doubt help point it in the right direction as and when needed.

“He said he’d upset you,” Gloria says slowly, “Well, not quite in those words. He tried to pull the ‘I’ve got a friend’ crap initially, like I was born yesterday – it took seeing him talk to you at the hotel lobby to get who he was talking about – but… yeah. I knew he’d done something but… I’d never have thought it’d have gone _that_ far.”

“Yeah well,” Sonia sniffs, wiping her eyes with a tissue, “It did. And now there’s this.”

The brunette nods, seeming unsure of what she can say to make this better – because let’s face it, there really _isn’t_ much that can take the sting out of this, “Do you want me to do anything to him? I can hit him if you like.”

She can’t help but let out a small laugh, “No… it’s fine.”

There’s a small silence, and the girl is leaning back against her sofa, crossing her legs and sighing, “Can I be honest with you?”

“Go ahead. It can’t hurt any more than this.”

Gloria’s wearing a small smile herself when she says, “When I first moved here, Leon checked in on me every day. Would always ask if I was okay, if I had everything I needed, was I lonely, that sort of stuff. He was dead serious about making sure I was settled and that I didn’t feel alone or out of my depth, because there’s _a lot_ to being Champion that I didn’t think about before I beat him. He helped ease me into things and… he really didn’t have to. I don’t think that’s just me, either. I reckon that’s just the sort of bloke he is. So… I don’t think he’s going to abandon you.”

Sonia frowned slightly, heart still filled with doubt, “You didn’t see him when I told him. I’ve never seen him so _cold._ ”

“I know,” Gloria replies reassuringly, “But… just based on what I know about him… maybe he really _does_ just need time to digest this. I mean, don’t take this the wrong way but… you’ve known for weeks and you probably needed time too, right?”

She nods slowly because like it or not, it’s true. She needed _a lot_ of time to get her head around the fact that she was pregnant and to decide what she wanted to do about it. Was it really fair of her to expect him to absorb this _and_ decide what he wants almost immediately?

Well, she already knows the answer to that. It still hurts, though.

Another silence follows, Gloria fiddling with her cup of tea, “So… twins, huh? I don’t know if I ever told you I was a twin.”

Now _that_ takes Sonia by surprise, “Really? You never told me that!”

Gloria shrugs, “It never really came up. Not something my mum and I talk about often.”

“Why not?”

Charmander glances up from her play and toddles over to her trainer, clasping her leg and looking confused. It’s at this point that Sonia notices the girl looks saddened as the current Champion lets out another sigh, “He died when he was a baby.”

 _Oh._ “Wow… I’m sorry to hear about that.”

Gloria shrugs again, “It’s fine. I never knew him, so it doesn’t hurt as much for me but I know it nearly destroyed my mum and it caused my parents to split up. Though… sometimes I can’t help but wonder, you know. What life would have been like if he’d lived. Or if I was the one who died instead.”

Sonia grips the girl’s shoulder a little more tightly than she intends to because she doesn’t really want to imagine a life without this wonderful, kind and cheeky young woman in it, “Please don’t say that.”

“No, I don’t mean that morbidly,” Gloria says quickly, “Just… you know, what kind of person would he have been? Would he have been mates with Hop? Would he have become a Pokémon trainer, beaten Leon, become the Champion? Those sorts of things. It’s just… who knows what his life could have been. It sounds stupid, I know, but-”

“It doesn’t sound stupid,” Sonia replies reassuringly and for just a moment she finds herself forgetting about her predicament with Leon because really, this discussion seems to be hammering home to her that the most important thing right now is herself and her babies, and if Leon doesn’t want any part of that, then so be it. It hurts badly to come to this conclusion, especially after his own confession to her but… goodness, she doesn’t want to even _think_ of experiencing the pain Gloria’s family had to. Gloria’s mum ended up having to grieve for a lost child _and_ a lost marriage on top of raising her remaining young child on her own.

Of course, it doesn’t stop her from feeling concerned about that possibly happening to one or both of her babies but that’s something she can discuss with Lina when her next appointment crops up. Or before then, if it really plagues on her mind.

“Did he have a name?” Sonia asks, even though she probably should just drop it at this point because it isn’t necessary for her to know even though she wants to. It flatters and honours her to know about such a deep and personal part of her friend’s life.

Gloria doesn’t seem to take offence. In fact, she smiles, “Victor. His name was Victor.”

 _It’s a nice name,_ Sonia thinks. Not one she thinks she’ll use, but it’s a nice name nonetheless. Charmander cheerfully goes back to playing with Applin and Yamper, and the two women spend some time in silence just watching the three Pokémon play with each other.

“You know… if he went out of his way to catch that Applin to give to you, I definitely think he’s going to decide to stick around,” Gloria speaks up again, “Feelings don’t just go away over something like this, surely?”

It’s enough to fill Sonia with some hope – not much, but a little. Perhaps this is her anxiety blowing this out of proportion. Maybe he will help her, maybe even still stand by what he’s said to her about wanting to give a relationship between them a shot. _Still,_ she thinks, _I have to be prepared for the worst as well._

She spends the night at Gloria’s place, as she still doesn’t feel up to returning to her hotel room and Gran’s questions regarding where she’s been and who’s she’s been with (even though the former professor most likely bloody well knows the answer to both of those questions). The bed in the spare room is comfortable and with Yamper curled up under her arm and Applin settled at the end of the bed, she eventually manages to fall into a deep sleep.

* * *

Leon doesn’t sleep well that night. It’s like his brain is on overload, repeating the same words over and over in his head.

_Sonia’s pregnant._

_She’s having twins._

_I did this to her._

_I’m not ready for this._

_What am I going to do?_

When he eventually does get some sleep he dreams that he’s four years old and eagerly showing his dad a drawing he’s done of Charmander only for his dad to wave his hand at him in annoyance and remark that it’s not very good. Then it shifts and he’s five. His dad is shouting at him for spilling milk, red-faced and furious. Then he’s six and he’s being spanked for throwing a tantrum, because his new baby brother is getting all of his parents’ attention and he just wants _someone_ to notice him, and his dad is saying how disappointed he is because he expects better from him. He _always_ expects better from him.

Then he’s seven and he’s in his room, and he can hear his dad and mum arguing in the kitchen downstairs. He can’t hear all of it but he can hear bits and pieces. He hears his name a few times as well as the words ‘selfish’, ‘trapped’ and ‘failure’. Shortly after that, he wakes up, because he knows what happened after that, and it doesn’t give him any pleasure to remember it.

It’s only five o’clock in the morning when he wakes from that but he doesn’t fancy his chances of getting any more sleep so he decides to get up and take a shower. It doesn’t do much to ease his anxiety and he spends the whole time wondering what the hell he’s going to do instead of relaxing. Breakfast pans out exactly the same, to the point where he can’t even seem to taste any of it.

He doesn’t feel like going out, though perhaps he probably should because he is running low on a few necessities. But his energy levels are at rock bottom and he can always hold out for a few days longer if he needs to because, like it or not, he _really_ needs to prioritize thinking about this because it’s hardly something he can bury his head in the sand over (no matter how much he’s tempted to).

Sonia’s pregnant. That much is now obvious to him. She’s expecting twins, and they are absolutely, beyond a shadow of a doubt, his. Everything starts to make a lot more sense to him, at least as far as why she’s been avoiding him is concerned. And didn’t Hop say she’s been quieter than usual at the lab? Does _he_ know anything about this?

She was the one who had mostly initiated things that night and a part of him can’t help but feel resentful towards her for that right now. But equally the thought makes him feel awful because he knows that she isn’t totally to blame for this. Perhaps this is his brain trying desperately to point the finger of blame away from him because he’s not sure why he _didn’t_ use protection, especially when it’s one of those things Rose has constantly drummed into him before. Granted, they were both drunk and caught up in the moment but he wasn’t stupid. Surely, the thought _should_ have crossed his mind, especially given that he doesn’t think he was quite as drunk _as_ she was.

Thinking about it like that makes him feel worse, almost like he’s taken advantage of her, and he’d never intentionally do that, not to her, not to anyone, and yet…

_I should’ve stopped it. Or gotten protection. Or **something**. _

That’s the thing that hurts the most. He could have stopped it but he didn’t and now her whole life – and his as well – is going to change forever, more than he’d ever imagined. She’d gotten under his skin more than usual and instead of being stronger, he caved, and he knows it’s because he’s always wanted to, deep down, because she undoes him like nobody else ever has done. Now he’s possibly messed her life up for her, as well as his own.

It’s not that he isn’t good with kids or that he doesn’t like them. He likes to think he’s done an okay job of looking out for Hop, though he acknowledges that he could have done more, could have defied Rose more and put his family first. But that’s just it! Even though things are better than they were, if he still can’t even be there for Hop as much as he likes now, how is he going to make this work with these babies? He doesn’t want to be absent, that much he’s sure of. Even though he’s not sure if he wants or is even ready to be a father because he’s still _so young_ , he knows he doesn’t want to be a deadbeat. He wants to be better than _him._

He hasn’t allowed himself to think of _him_ in a long time. Yet now, he’s plaguing his mind, and it’s not something he particularly wants to devote time to, because he’s past this. Or at least he thought he was.

When he was seven years old, he overheard his parents having a row late at night. He’s never been able to remember exactly what was said, but what happened afterwards made it all too clear what they were rowing about. Mum told him that his dad gone to find himself by travelling to Unova to challenge the Pokémon League there. As a child, he was upset at the prospect of losing him but as an avid fan of Pokémon battling who used to spend all his free time watching League matches from across the world on telly, he’d also thought it was pretty cool (he’d always said he wanted to challenge the Galar League as soon as he hit the minimum age, which was ten back then). A whole year passed though, and he never came back.

Turns out he’d never had any intention of coming back.

Part of the reason it stings to think about it is that Leon went on to do much the same thing. His dream to become Champion at the age of ten didn’t wane because of his dad leaving, so when he became old enough to enter the Gym Challenge, he begged Sonia’s grandmother for an endorsement and once he had it he took off, with Sonia by his side. He remembers thinking it would be okay, that it wasn’t the same thing as his dad because he _was_ going to come home once he was Champion, because everything would shift back to normal – or at least somewhat close to it. Only it didn’t, and he’s had to bury thoughts of his father deep so that the guilt didn’t destroy him.

Only now the guilt’s eating at him again. Because he doesn’t want to be like him, doesn’t want to leave Sonia alone to clear up their mess while he goes on merrily with his life but damn it, he’s _scared._ Scared of the change that will come. Scared of fucking up like _he_ did because he hasn’t got a clue about what he’s doing, not really.

At ten o’clock his phone rings. He isn’t up to talking to anybody. He checks the screen anyway to see that it’s Raihan, no doubt calling to find out how he’s gotten on with Sonia, and yeah, in that case he _definitely_ isn’t up to talking to him.

It doesn’t stop his rival from being a persistent bugger, so eventually Leon’s patience runs out and he answers with a sharp, “What?”

“Good morning to you too, sunshine,” Raihan replies, not showing any sign of being bothered by his greeting, “Just calling to ask how it went last night.”

_I guessed as much._

“Nosy bastard.”

“You know you love me. Come on, mate.”

Truth be told, he doesn’t know what to tell him, doesn’t even want to talk about it much. On the one hand, it’s not like she turned him down. But on the other… well, that much is obvious. “Fifty fifty,” he replies, because it’s probably the best way he can think of putting it while still remaining somewhat vague.

“Don’t tell me you pussed out,” Raihan says, and he almost sounds gleeful.

“No!” Leon snaps back, “Nothing like that.”

“Then she turned you down?”

“Not exactly, no.”

“Oh wow… you two fucked again, didn’t you?”

“No!”

“Then _what?_ ” the dragon tamer asks loudly and it’s at this point Leon reasons that Raihan’s too bloody perceptive at the best of times. Given that he himself is pretty shit at lying, and given how much the Hammerlocke Gym Leader already knows, there’s no point in keeping it to himself. It’s not like it’s going to be a secret for long, anyway, not if Sonia intends on going through with this.

He lets out a long pained sigh, “She’s pregnant, Rai.”

There isn’t a reply, not immediately, but he does hear a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the phone, so it’s clear Raihan wasn’t expecting _that_ to be the takeaway from this. Well, at least he’s not the only one who’s been caught off guard by it. Licking his lips, Leon continues, “She’s carrying twins, apparently.”

“Wow…” at least he’s saying something now, even if it’s not helpful and even if he sounds distant (perhaps he’s just getting breakfast, Raihan is usually a late riser when it isn’t the Gym Challenge season), “Shit. You really … _fuck,_ mate. What, did it split? Or are your little buggers just _that_ good?”

“Didn’t use anything,” he mumbles in embarrassment as he can hear his friend tutting at him down the phone, “We kind of forgot.”

The dragon tamer chuckles, “Honestly, mate, I thought you were smarter than that.”

“So did I,” Leon remarks bitterly, because he doesn’t need telling, especially not from Raihan, who’s probably had countless one night stands in all of the time they’ve known each other. Regardless, he launches into the whole story of the prior night and finishes with, “To be honest mate, I don’t know what to do.”

“Can I say somethin’?” another somewhat distant tired-sounding voice appears out of nowhere. Leon immediately recognizes it as Piers, and his heart almost stops because it’s now hit him why Raihan sounds so distant on the phone, and he can’t help but feel anger bubbling in his chest.

“Rai, have you got me on _speaker phone?”_ he snaps again, because damn it his friend _knew_ this was something he’d shared with him in strictest confidence, and he feels betrayed, not just for him but for Sonia as well, especially after he’d assured her that Raihan would keep this to himself.

“Sorry mate,” to be fair, at least Raihan _sounds_ guilty, “I thought he was still asleep.”

“Well, I ain’t,” Piers retorts and he sounds grouchy, like he’s probably just woken up and hasn’t had his morning coffee yet, “Anyway, you’re sayin’ you don’t know what to do. Well I’m gonna tell you. Fuckin’ sort your shit out.”

He doesn’t expect that, not from Piers. Even Raihan doesn’t seem to have expected it as Leon can hear him in the background sharply taking a breath again. Piers continues, undeterred, “I may not know the girl as well as some of you, but I can tell she’s a good one. She’s probably been shittin’ herself over this, probably still is ‘cause she’s gotta spend some months doin’ all this heavy liftin’ and puttin’ on weight. Then she’s gonna be havin’ these kids and raisin’ ‘em, probably on her own, ‘cause you’re too busy bitchin’ and moanin’ to _this_ idiot.”

“Thanks love,” Raihan jibes sarcastically in reply but it goes unnoticed. Spikemuth’s ex-Gym Leader seems to sound heated and annoyed, which is honestly surprising as Leon’s initial impressions of Piers are that he usually seems to give off an air of not really caring all that much about what other people do with their lives, with very few exceptions. The only time he could ever imagine Piers getting angry is if somebody threatened either his sister, his home or his Pokémon.

“An’ yeah, I get it, it’s scarin’ the shit outta you too, but you’re never gonna get anywhere withou’ talkin’ to _her_ about it. Raihan ain’t carryin’ your kids, _she_ is.”

“Well, yeah but-”

“What’s the problem?”

“I’m not ready for this.”

“And you reckon _she_ is? Look, I’ve seen enough shitty deadbeat dads to last me a lifetime. Blokes who’d sooner piss about than clean up after themselves and be responsible. Hey, if you wanna be like that, that’s up to you. Not my place to say anythin’. But I coulda sworn you were better than that. Raihan says you are.”

“He’s got a point there, mate,” Raihan interjects quietly, “I know you don’t want to leave her to it. You’re not like that, never have been with that bloody hero complex of yours. So why not just go and sort it out with her now and save any heartache on both your parts? You still want her, don’t you?”

It’s true. He doesn’t want Sonia to be alone on this. He wants to do his bit to help her, and maybe, just maybe, he can still have a relationship with her. If she wants to. He hopes she does. But then at the back of his mind he can still feel his dad’s presence like a dark shadow with his eyes constantly watching him, constantly leaving him with the feeling that he’s not good enough, will _never_ be good enough even though he’s reached heights the man could probably only dream of.

Leon is still made up of pieces of _him_ in a way that others simply cannot possibly understand.

He doesn’t want to tell Piers about that though. He doesn’t even want to talk about it with Raihan.

“You’re right,” he mumbles, “I can’t leave her. I’ll… I’ll talk to her.”

“Too right.”

“Good luck with that, mate.”

After a quick goodbye (as Leon’s relatively sure that now Piers is awake the two men will want to get on with their day, whatever that might include… and he doesn’t really want to think too deeply about that), he begins to text Sonia and sends them before he can change his mind again, because he knows he will given the chance.

 _**Leon:**_ **Are you ok**

 _**Leon:**_ **Im sorry** **about** **yesterday I was a dick**

About five minutes pass before he gets a reply.

 _**Sonia:**_ **I’m ok**

 _**Sonia:**_ **I’m at Gloria’s flat if you want to** **talk** **?** **x**

He hesitates for a moment before he sends his reply.

 _**Leon:** _ **Ill be there in ten minutes**

* * *

“He’s coming,” Sonia remarks numbly to Gloria, in total shock at the text reply, “He’s _actually_ coming.”

She only offered her location and an invitation to talk after Gloria had repeatedly nagged her for most of the morning in between discussions about other things. She was so sure he’d decline. Then again, Leon has always managed to surprise her in the past, so why should now be any different?

Though even Gloria seems surprised, as she raises an eyebrow, “He works fast, I’ll give him that.”

Sonia paces Gloria’s living room floor erratically, her heartbeat echoing in her ears, and she can’t seem to stop herself, “I mean, it’s only last night that he found out… is that even enough time for him to make a decision on this? It took me weeks to decide. _Weeks._ This isn’t something you can make a decision about in one night!”

Gloria shrugs, “I don’t know. Maybe not. But you know what he’s like. He probably feels bad and just wants to make sure you’re okay.”

“What do I even _say?”_

Another shrug from the brunette Champion while she’s messing with her phone, texting Hop to let him know that she might be late for their planned lunch date, “Don’t ask me, I haven’t got a clue. But I’ll stay if you want me to, I don’t mind.”

“Are you sure?” Sonia asks, because she feels like she’s asked enough of the poor girl as it is, “I mean, you’ve already let me stay over and listened to me talk your ear off about all of this. And I know you’ve been looking forward to having a proper date with Hop so-”

“It’s fine,” Gloria grins, squeezing the shaking older woman’s shoulder, “ _Breathe._ Hop’ll understand. He’s good like that. Especially once he realizes that this is about _his_ nieces or nephews.”

She’s not wrong about that. Hop is such a good natured lad, of course he’d understand even without factoring in the fact that he’s got familial ties with her babies. It doesn’t make Sonia feel any better about it though. She still feels like she’s taking the piss a bit, but she doesn’t have any desire to argue with Gloria because she’ll need all her own emotions in check when Leon comes by and they actually have to talk about this. She’s still unsure if he’ll want much to do with this. If he does, it’s probably out of guilt, and that’s not a particularly great reason to stick around. Still, she needs to hear him out, needs to know if he still means what he said yesterday about having feelings for her.

It takes him twenty minutes to show up. Sonia has doubts initially but Gloria assures her that it’s most likely because he’s gotten lost again. When he does arrive, Gloria answers the door and she can hear the young girl whispering at him to _please_ not fuck this up, and Sonia realises how awkward it must be for her, like she’s a Tepig in the middle, mediating between her sister-figure and her mentor, and she feels even more guilty for putting her through this.

When she finally sees him it’s clear to her that he probably hasn’t slept well. He looks dishevelled, his clothes mismatched and his hair untamed. His shoulders hunch slightly when he sits on the sofa and there’s something about his eyes that seems almost… haunted? Sonia frowns. That can’t be right.

“Do either of you want a drink?” Gloria asks from the living room doorway, and he replies “yes” to a cup of tea so she opts for one as well (truthfully, he probably only agrees to a drink so he can talk to her alone). Gloria removes herself to the kitchen, her little Charmander toddling behind her, flaming tail swishing. Leon seems to smile at the little Pokémon (he’d been the one who had given her to Gloria after all), and she can’t help but smile too. She almost wishes she’d let Yamper and Applin stay out of their balls for this, if only for emotional support, but that’s what Gloria’s here for, and goodness knows the poor little guys need a break from dealing with all of her nonsense.

“So how are you this morning?” he asks quietly, and he’s looking at his feet. Sonia thinks she’ll never be used to this, seeing him so quiet and so unsure of himself – this was a man who is usually so confident that it can come across as cocky.

“Could be better,” she mumbles, fingers twiddling with some loose red strands of hair that are resting against the side of her face, “You?”

“Same,” he sighs and there’s silence before he tentatively scoots closer to her on Gloria’s sofa, “Look, I’m sorry about yesterday-”

“I get it,” she interrupts, because she doesn’t need to hear it (Gloria’s helped put things into perspective there), “It was a shock for me too.”

“I’ll bet.”

“You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to do,” she says. She needs to know where he stands, and she’s hoping that regardless of what his reasons might be now, that he’ll stick around in one form or another. Even if it’s _just_ to help raise their twins and a romantic relationship is now off the cards (though that possibility still upsets her because deep down she still would like to give things a try between them), “Just let me know what’s happening with you so I can start… moving forward. And sort out what happens next.”

He bites his lip, his brow creased again in that way she finds so attractive, before his hand finds hers and gives it a gentle squeeze, “I’ve… still not quite got my head around it. And I’m not gonna lie, I’m scared shitless. But I do know that I want to help you. In any way I can.”

She feels tears beginning to come to her eyes again, most likely it’s a result of the intensity of her hormones, but she blinks them back because goodness knows she’s cried enough over the past few days. She just can’t believe he’s really here, really saying he wants to help her, “Are you sure?”

He nods stiffly, “Yeah, well, I’m just as much to blame for this so I can’t very well let you take on all the responsibility. It wouldn’t be fair.”

“Right,” she swallows.

_So that’s all it is. He’s helping me because he feels guilty. Not because he feels anything for them._

_Then again, is it fair to expect him to feel something for the twins when he’s only just learnt they exist? It’s not like he’s the one connected to them and carrying them._

Gloria brings their tea in and seems to awkwardly hang around by the living room door for a moment, her eyes meeting with Sonia’s almost as if to ask if she still wants her there or if she’d like her to go back into the kitchen. She’s a smart girl and reads the situation well enough to know that she isn’t needed at the moment so she heads back into the kitchen, scooping Charmander up so that she doesn’t disturb them.

“How’s Applin?” he asks unexpectedly, though judging by the look on his face, he’s probably working himself up to say or ask something else.

She fumbles around in her bag to find the Quick Ball Applin’s inside of and shows him it, “He’s resting right now. I’m… not sure if he had a good night’s sleep or not. Gloria says I was thrashing about in my sleep.”

“Right. I’m-”

“Sorry. I know.”

Another awkward silence. Things have never been this delicate between them. Even after all his years of absence, when the two had finally started talking again, it was nowhere near as unpleasant as this.

“I still mean it,” he finally says, and he looks nervous again, “What I said before. But I get it if you don’t want to… you know. And I’m sorry about Applin. If I’d have known I wouldn’t have-”

“You seriously need to stop apologizing,” she remarks impatiently, “It doesn’t suit you. In any case, I think Applin’s going to stick around. He’s a sweet little thing. Yamper will help him settle and see him right.”

He smiles slightly and lets out a small chuckle, “I can’t guarantee I’ll stop apologizing. But… I’m glad you’re both getting on okay. Raihan would never let me live it down if I had to take him to him.”

Sonia can’t help but giggle now that the mental image is in her head, “If the press picked up on that, they’d probably think you were asking _him_ out.”

“Yeah, and I can think of at least one other person who’d probably be pissed off about that.”

“Piers?”

“So it wasn’t just me that noticed it then?”

“Of course not. I saw the way he looked at Raihan at the party.”

He twiddles his fingers in his lap and taps his feet nervously, “So anyway… yesterday. About you and me. Was it going to be a yes or a no?”

She almost cannot believe her luck. _He’s **still** interested?_ She smiles widely, blinking again because she’s still determined not to cry (she's almost embarrassed by how much she's been crying lately) and she doesn’t want to get all of her hopes up, “Well… I said I’d love to. Give it a try. I’m still up for it if you are.”

“Well, the circumstances aren’t exactly what I expected but I guess you can say it’s a challenge, and I’m always up for a challenge,” he begins, almost prattling and even though she’s still not entirely sure if he feels comfortable about the whole pregnancy thing, she still finds his babbling to be strangely adorable and dorky, “But yeah. I definitely still want to give things a go. If you’ll still have me after I’ve been such a dickhead.”

She can’t help but laugh at that, her cheeks flushing while her stomach is doing backflips of sheer joy, “Oh, go on then.”

He exhales, seeming relieved, “So… how about dinner next Friday?”

“Sure,” she squeezes his hand and quickly lifts her hand to wipe at her eyes because the damned tears are leaking out now regardless of her efforts to stop them, “I’d love to.”

“ _Finally!_ It’s about bloody time!” they hear Gloria shout from the kitchen, and they can’t help but look at each other and burst out laughing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who has an infected wisdom tooth for the third time this year? >.>  
> Thanks again for all your lovely comments! :)


	9. It's a Date

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’m sorry,” she blurts out, “I didn’t mean to make it sound like it did. It’s not you. It’s just… I thought you’d think badly of me. Blame me for everything. That’s why I stayed away and kept my distance.”  
> “Sonia-”  
> “But that’s not you, is it? I should’ve known better. I should’ve known that you’d be the one feeling guilty, trying to take all the blame,” she fights to keep her emotions under control, “I just want to say… don’t. It took two to tango. We’re both equally to blame, okay?”

Gloria was far too pleased when Sonia and Leon had decided to have a go at dating each other. It was almost suspicious, so Sonia did some digging after the fact and learnt that the cheeky minx had a bet with Hop (prior to her learning about the pregnancy, anyway). She had vehemently insisted that they were going to be a thing, while Hop had argued against it, somewhat half-heartedly. It turns out the reason he’d argued against was strictly based on her pregnancy, because he assumed it had been somebody else’s child. Perhaps he _really_ just didn’t want to think of his brother having sex.

Still, Hop took the news somewhat well when he was pulled aside and told that he was going to be an uncle. He went from being stunned into silence, to seemingly becoming mortified (again, he probably _really_ didn’t want to think about his brother being intimate on top of the fact that he now owes Gloria some money) to being somewhat excited when he realized that this meant he was going to be an uncle because hey, it gave him a chance to be a good role model and return the favour Leon gave to him growing up.

Her Gran had been guessing correctly all along so Sonia only ended up confirming her suspicions when Leon saw her back to the hotel lobby the evening after they’d spoken (and had given her a small shy kiss on her cheek which still makes Sonia blush to think of it). She’d been strangely okay about the whole thing, and while the former professor was adamant that she wanted to discuss the matter with Leon to make absolutely sure he intended to give Sonia the support she needs (and probably to give him a lecture on using protection), she’d been pretty good about giving her space. Heck, she even went back to Wedgehurst a few days before Sonia initially intended to.

Now she’s in her hotel room where she’s been all week, trying hard to squeeze into the beautiful dress that she’s recently bought from Wyndon’s boutique for her first proper date with Leon. It had cost her a lot of money so she’ll be damned if she lets her pregnancy defeat her on this, she needs to wear it at _least_ once! After some struggle, she finally manages to fit into it. It’s a bit of a squeeze but she reasons that she can manage for at least one night. Hopefully when the twins are born it’ll all snap back into place and it’ll be much more comfortable.

She runs a brush through her hair, debating on whether or not to tie it into a ponytail like she usually does. On _that_ night she’d had her hair down, and while she doesn’t doubt she’ll look much nicer she doesn’t want to make things awkward either, because goodness knows she’s nervous enough as it is. After all, this isn’t a platonic meal with her best friend. It’s an _actual_ date. She grew up with this man and knows the real him better than most people and yet she feels like any territory they enter tonight will be new and unexplored.

She eventually opts to tie her hair back.

 _He’s running late,_ she notices as she looks at the clock and she knows it’s probably because he’s gotten lost again, but it doesn’t stop that little voice in her head from making itself known, telling her that he’s changed his mind and that he doesn’t want her after all. _Would it really be so surprising if he **has** changed his mind? What do **I** have to offer him? _

She shrugs those thoughts off as she checks her bag again to make sure everything she needs is there. Her make up, purse and phone are in the main part of her bag and the scan photos are buried in a little inside pocket just in case he asks to look at them again (though she doubts he will).

It’s then that she hears a quiet knock on her hotel room door and she smiles in relief as she answers the door to him, and she feels a small sense of pride as he seems to be taken aback by her. He looks really nice himself, wearing smart clothes that don’t clash horribly like they usually do, and it certainly does a good job in making her heart leap in her chest.

His hand jumps to his hair, which he definitely seems to have put a comb through, “Wow. You uh… you look nice.”

“Thanks,” she replies warmly as she shuts the door behind her, “You too. So… where are we off to?”

“There’s a nice place not far from the Battle Tower that I go to sometimes. It’s one of those pub and restaurant hybrids.”

She raises an eyebrow at him, “You’re taking me to a pub?”

“Hey, it’s a restaurant too and a nice one at that,” he counters, and she wants to laugh because he doesn’t quite seem to realise that she’s teasing him. Granted, she’s doing it as a method to help ease her own anxiety, but he doesn’t need to know that.

“Sure it is, dandelion.”

For the monorail journey there they mostly sit in silence, occasionally shooting a few quips at each other about one thing or another but neither of them bringing up the pregnancy. She’s not sure if she should. He as good as admitted that he needs more time to come to terms with it and she fears that if she rushes him she might lose her chance at this.

He’s pretty spot on about it being a nice place though. The premises almost seems to be split into two halves, with one side featuring a bar and seats just for having a drink or to watch the latest Pokémon match, while the other side seems to be fancier. The tables had napkins tucked into the glasses, and the chairs have a nice white cover which honestly seems a little unpractical for a restaurant (they must cost a fortune to wash daily). The person who shows them to their table is almost overwhelmed with excitement and guides them to an empty table secluded away from others, which she is glad about because she doesn’t fancy their faces being plastered across gossip magazines any time soon.

They’re handed menus and then left alone for a short while. Even where they are sat, she can smell a variety of different scents: roasted meats and vegetables, curries and baked potatoes. She’s mentally prepared herself for the possibility that she could be nauseous, and she’s even let him know ahead of time (and of course he started up the whole apology crap again), though to be fair she hasn’t been as bad over the past few days so maybe, _maybe_ her body might give her a break this time. She certainly doesn’t feel nauseous right now even with those scents wafting around. She feels like taking a chance this evening, so she decides she wants a jacket potato with a side salad and a fresh juice (since alcohol is _definitely_ off the table for her).

“Are you sure?” he asks her, and he’s looking concerned.

“Yeah, it hasn’t been as bad lately,” she says with a shrug, “But if I’m proven wrong and I rush off to the loo, don’t worry too much.”

He frowns slightly, “Alright. Well, if you’re having something hot then I guess you won’t mind if I do too?”

“Go ahead,” she waves her hand, “I don’t expect you to change what you eat for me.”

“Okay, I just wanted to be sure,” he smiles, looking directly at her and she feels her heart skip a beat. It’s strange how sweet he’s being, especially when she’s used to him teasing her with her responding by giving back what he dished out. _Perhaps he’s nervous too. This **is** the first time he’s gone out on a proper date with someone. _

He decides he wants a roast dinner and some sparkling water. Sonia can’t help but feel envious. Still, if she doesn’t have a bad reaction to this, then she will definitely try to persuade him to come back here in the future so she can have a roast dinner too. It really has been too long since she’s had a main meal she loves, and if it weren’t for being able to eat sweet treats such as cake she would have probably gone mad.

After their orders have been put in and they’re alone again, he meets her eyes again, “So… are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” she giggles, “You’ve already asked me that, like, five times already this evening.”

He laughs, a hand flying to the back of his head, “Have I? Sorry, Son. Just… you know.”

“Yeah, I know,” she smiles, reaching across the table to squeeze his hand, “But it’s just little old me. It’s not like we haven’t eaten out together before.”

“True,” he replies sheepishly, squeezing her hand back, “I just want this to go well.”

“So do I,” she tells him. She feels like it _is_ going well because they’re talking, and while there is some discomfort, she’s sure that’s perfectly normal for a first date even _if_ said first date is with someone she grew up with and knows so well already. This is unexplored territory for both of them and she has no doubt in her mind that it’ll take time for her to completely think of him in a romantic way and have it feel totally normal, but it’s an experience she still thinks she’ll enjoy because she can’t get enough of her belly doing backflips and her heart racing whenever he looks at her. She wonders if he’s feeling those things too. She hopes so.

Eventually, she decides to try a new topic, “How’s it been going at the Battle Tower?”

“Great!” his demeanour changes, and with how his face lights up as he launches into how his battles for that day went, she can’t help but smile too because _this_ is Leon, _this_ is the man she knows and loves.

 _Love? Jumping the gun on that a bit, Sonia?_ She’ll unpack that little realization later. No point in doing it now. She doesn’t want to ruin this, especially not now that he seems to be talking to her normally again. Though he’s looking at her differently, like she’s the most precious thing in his world, and she can’t get enough of it.

When he’s done talking about his day, he asks her about her research and she pretty much ends up repeating a lot of what she discussed at the conference. She’s delighted when he seems to be following along, as well as the fact that he doesn’t balk when she mentions potentially wanting to study Eternatus later on. She’s always been amazed at how accepting he was of Gloria keeping the poison dragon around, especially given that the thing nearly killed him. _But that’s him all over,_ she reasons, _he doesn’t hold grudges. He never has done._

It’s at this point that she realizes how much of an idiot she’s been. _Of course_ he was never going to blame her for the events of that night, or for her becoming pregnant. There are times when he can be immature, reckless or perhaps insensitive but he’s not petty and he’ll always question what _he_ could have done better instead of blame the other party, and if there isn’t anything of note, he’ll just look forward instead.

It explains his newfound constant need to apologize to her. Because he blames _himself_ for this more than he blames her, and that makes her feel rotten.

“Hey, are you alright?” he asks, and he’s looking worried again. She can’t help but notice that he’s stroking the back of her hand with his thumb and she has to remind herself to breathe.

“Yeah,” she says, forcing a smile on her face because she isn’t going to ruin this for him, not when it seems to mean so much to him, “I’m just… thinking, that’s all.”

“Anything I can help you with?”

“You already are helping me just by being here.”

Their talk is cut short by their dinner arriving, and although he’s still looking at her like he wants to say more, he stays quiet, but still watches her as she tucks into her dinner. To her delight, the nausea doesn’t make an appearance and she feels so incredibly thankful that her date doesn’t have to be spoiled by her running off to the toilet for a vomiting session. She doesn’t want to give him any more reason to feel guilty.

They finish their meal in relative comfort, occasionally making remarks to each other about how good the food is among a few more quips and jokes towards each other. Then they order a dessert each – hot chocolate fudge cake with ice cream for both of them. They talk about their Pokémon, specifically Applin, which isn’t all that surprising giving that it’s one of the new ties that bind them together, and she’s relieved that at the very least he’s not apologizing for giving the little dragon to her again.

When they’ve finished their pudding, Leon pays and the two leave together after he drapes her coat over her shoulders. They decide against taking the monorail to maximise this time together, because tomorrow Sonia returns to Wedgehurst and they won’t be able to see each other as frequently as they’d like. Hopefully if this continues to go well, this distance won’t be a factor, though Sonia doesn’t want to get her hopes up.

“So… was it good for you?” he asks, and as soon as he says it his cheeks turn pink, as he’s realized just _what_ he’s said and how it can be misconstrued.

“You know what? Yeah, it was really good,” she laughs, and then he laughs as well, the phallic connotation forgotten, “Thanks. I had fun. It’s… nice. Being able to be with you again without feeling like I’m going to start bawling my eyes out. And before you start apologizing again, don’t.”

He nods. If he’s about to apologize, then he does a good job of holding his tongue. He looks like he wants to put his arm around her, but he hesitates and seems to decide against it so the two end up awkwardly walking side by side. It doesn’t feel enough to her. She wants to hold his hand, to feel that electricity that he seems to send coursing through her without any effort, but his body language is beginning to seem closed off so she holds back. Perhaps she should have phrased what she said differently.

“I’m sorry,” she blurts out, “I didn’t mean to make it sound like it did. It’s not you. It’s just… I thought you’d think badly of me. Blame me for everything. That’s why I stayed away and kept my distance.”

“Sonia-”

“But that’s not you, is it? I should’ve known better. I should’ve known that you’d be the one feeling guilty, trying to take all the blame,” she fights to keep her emotions under control, “I just want to say… don’t. It took two to tango. We’re both equally to blame, okay?”  
  
“Okay,” he whispers and while he seems a little bit more relaxed, there’s still _something_ she cannot pinpoint. But he doesn’t seem like he wants to unpack whatever might be on his mind, and as it’s getting late she decides to leave it for now. Perhaps later, he might be feeling a bit more up to talking.

When they arrive back at the hotel they hang around outside for a moment because she really doesn’t want him to go, and judging by how he’s behaving, he probably doesn’t want to leave either.

“So…” they both begin to say at the same time which makes them both laugh.

“Are you sure you have to go home tomorrow?” he asks and he sounds so sincere. She feels like she has Butterfree in her stomach as he’s looking right into her eyes.

“Sorry,” she says, twiddling her fingers nervously, “Still got some research to do. A professor’s job is never done.”

“Right… I’ll call you later then?”

“Sounds good to me.”

He takes a deep breath and hesitates for a second before he slowly leans forward and presses his soft lips against her cheek. Time seems to stop for her at the moment, as he slowly pulls away and she feels his warm breath against her face, “Good night,” he whispers, and she can see now that his cheeks are pink again.

“Good night,” she breathes, and she’s sure she must be blushing as well. With a handsome smile, he turns and starts to walk away only for her to call after him, “Wrong way, Leon!”

He seems to flush a deeper shade of pink as he changes direction and heads back down the street they came from. After watching him for a moment, she turns towards the hotel to head inside but she suddenly feels a strange shiver travel down her spine. She turns again, but Leon is almost out of sight.

Perhaps he turned back to look at her? It’s the only reason she can possibly find for why she feels like somebody’s watching her.

* * *

They go on quite a few dates after the first one, and things seem to feel at least a little more natural, even though it isn’t always easy given that it involves a hefty amount of travel on either one or both of their parts.

They go to the cinema, for a picnic at the park, for fish and chips in Hulbury (where Sonia is finally able to update Nessa on what is happening, and she is able to confirm that she’s given Milo an Applin of his own) and have plenty more dinners in nice restaurants where she finally gets to sample a roast dinner again without worrying about up-chucking.

If only the pregnancy wasn’t still hanging over them. Or _him,_ specifically.

He hasn’t gone much further than awkward but gentle kisses on her cheek at the beginning and end of their dates, and it’s not for lack of trying on her part. It’s not like she wants to rush things with him – both have agreed with each other than they would take things slowly, what with it being the first proper relationship he’s ever had – but it’s been nearly a month since they’ve started going out and she thought that surely by now he would have given her a proper kiss. Or a few. She knows what he’s capable of. Granted, she doesn’t remember all of the details clearly, but she remembers enough. Enough to know that she certainly wants to experience all of that with him again, sober this time so she can truly drink everything in and not have half of it forgotten later on.

But he seems very determined to keep things slow, and while initially she suspected it was because he’s never done this before, she was soon able to get a clearer idea on what the root of the real issue potentially was when it came time for her sixteen-week appointment with Lina. She asked him if he wanted to tag along only for him to decline in an almost panicked tone, something that admittedly stung a little. Perhaps he just really didn’t want the paparazzi getting a hold of it, because if Wedgehurst gossiped about seeing _her_ go in to the Maternity Clinic, seeing _him_ go in with her would really get the motor-mouths running.

She’s not entirely sure if that’s the whole reason for his hesitance though. She’s almost sure it’s because he still hasn’t come to terms with the fact that this pregnancy is really happening, even though she’s definitely starting to develop quite a bump so it’s pretty bloody obvious just by looking at her now.

When she attends her appointment, she tries not to pay attention to any of the women in the waiting room there who start whispering to each other, because now it’s obvious that she’s pregnant so there’s nothing to hide.

_It’ll only be a matter of time before the paparazzi find out out the babies. Though I’m surprised they haven’t already. Especially now the paparazzi seems to have picked up on the fact that Leon and I are going out._

_That_ was something she should’ve been prepared for better. The day after one of their dates, she’d gone to the lab and Hop had shoved one of those nasty gossip magazines under her nose, where she and Leon had made a portion of the front cover in the form of a photo of them holding hands, along with a question speculating whether or not the former Champion has finally found love. The following few days saw paparazzi hanging around outside her lab, and it had gotten to the point where she had to give Hop a few days off while she called Leon to see if there was anything he could do on his end to get rid of them. Thankfully, they did eventually sod off, after Leon admitted that yes, he and Sonia were in a relationship and then asked them if they could please stop bothering her. _That_ at least managed to warm her heart, so perhaps there was some good to come from it.

She’s not sure if the paparazzi were the presence she felt at the end of their first date though. They would have posted the article much sooner if that were the case.

She’s called through relatively quickly and Lina welcomes her with a warm smile, asking her how she’s doing. _I could be better,_ she wants to say, but yet again, she knows she could be worse. Her morning sickness has mercifully faded into nothing so she’s been taking her time enjoying her Gran’s hot meals over again, and emotionally she feels at least a little bit more secure, minus the whole thing with Leon still being distant.

After some basic questions regarding her well-being, Lina turns to face her, “So as you’re expecting twins this does mean we will have to slightly alter the care we give to you. You will still be seeing me at the same frequency given that you’re a first time mother anyway, but we will need to discuss a solid birth plan, including the possibility of you needing to be induced around the thirty-seven week mark.”

Sonia winces; she doesn’t like the sound of that, “Is that going to be necessary?”

“It’s too early to tell,” Lina replies, “Multiple pregnancies do carry a higher risk of complications, so it is always good to have a plan just in case. Better safe than sorry. Either way, nothing will happen without your agreement unless you find yourself in a position where you’re unable to consent and nobody can consent on your behalf.”

Sonia nods at that, because she really can’t think of much to say. She’ll have to look into induction later on, but she has a rough idea of what it means and she definitely hopes she can avoid that if at all possible.

Lina gets to her feet and taps what looks like a bed which was hidden behind a curtain, “Anyway, if you could pop up here for me? I’d like to see if I can listen to the babies’ heartbeats.”

“Oh,” Sonia breathes, clearly not expecting this but feeling more than okay about it. She pushes herself up onto the bed and lies on the paper towels adorning it. Lina hands her some tissues and prepares some gel. She knows what Lina’s about to say before she says it, so she yanks her top up to below her bra, pulls her trousers down to her hips and tucks the tissues in to protect both items of clothing.

Lina applies the gel (it’s still cold and unpleasant but Sonia knows that what will follow will be worth it) and somewhat firmly presses the doppler onto her belly, manoeuvring it around slowly as all they can hear is a strange wind-like sound until finally, she pauses and she can hear a very speedy thrumming beat which fills Sonia with contentment and relief to hear. Lina smiles, “There’s one of them…”

“Is it supposed to be that fast?”

“Yes, that’s totally normal for a developing baby of this stage.”

After making a note of the heart rate in the pregnancy notes, Lina shifts the doppler around a bit, and it takes a while, but she eventually finds the other twin’s heartbeat and it’s almost as fast as its sibling’s. She quickly writes that one down as well, before she hands Sonia a paper towel to wipe the gel off.

“All’s looking good,” she says softly, as she begins to type out something on her computer, “Your next appointment should be your twenty week scan, which is really just to assess the growth of the babies and continue to make sure everything’s developing as normal.”

Sonia makes a decision – a hasty one perhaps – but one that she hopes might stir a certain ex-Champion into showing some interest, “Could I perhaps be seen in Wyndon again? I was going to go up there to visit… somebody.”

“Of course, if you insist,” Lina’s smile seems to suggest that she knows damn well _who_ she’s planning on visiting and it’s almost certainly likely to have crossed the midwife’s mind that Leon’s the one that fathered her child, especially if she’s read or even seen any of those magazines. She doesn’t say anything beyond that though and Sonia is grateful for it. No doubt it’s a rule of professionalism for her that she can’t go around poking their noses into other’s businesses unless it’s really warranted.

“Anyway, that should be about it for today. Do you have any more questions, Sonia?”

She fidgets slightly, because there _is_ one thing on her mind but she’s unsure about bringing it up, not only because it might not happen any time soon and she doesn’t want to seem like she’s jumping the gun, but also because it’s quite an intimate question. Still, Lina is in the best position to give her answers on this, so she swallows the embarrassment down, “I know you said sex is fine if it’s just one baby. Is that… is that any different with twins?”

She’s blushing, she’s sure of it, but Lina treats the question professionally which makes her feel much better about it, “No, there’s no reason why you can’t continue to enjoy sex while pregnant with twins, unless you’re advised against it by a medical professional. Given how well things are going, I can’t see any reason why you can’t. Besides,” Lina’s smile widens slyly, “sex during pregnancy is often quite highly rated among many of the women I’ve seen here. Higher sensitivity and all that.”

“Okay,” she mumbles, looking at her hands in her lap as she’s still too embarrassed to look Lina in the face. At least that’s one less thing she has to worry about. If she and Leon ever do get to a point where they become intimate, she doesn’t need to worry about him potentially hurting the twins, and she doesn’t need to feel like she needs to hold back. Because if it gets to that point she’s almost certain that she won’t _want_ to hold back.

“Anyway, you know the usual. Any pain, abdominal cramps, bleeding or unusual discharge, call me straight away.”

“I will. Thank you.”

“Bye.”

With that she leaves, and upon seeing the women in the waiting room staring at her, she can’t resist making a quip (“Take a picture. It’ll last longer.”) which makes them look away sharply, leaving her feeling much better about things. _Nosy bitches have no doubt put two and two together as well. Guess I’d better be prepared for another onslaught of paparazzi soon._

She decides to pop to the shop first to grab herself some lunch as she’s starving, and after she picks up a Meal Deal (a cheese and ham sandwich, a pineapple smoothie and a small box of cut up mango and pineapple chunks) she decides to head back to the lab. Hop probably will still not be there right now, as he’s gone home for lunch, so she can take advantage of the peace and quiet for a short period. She’ll probably let Yamper and Applin out to play as well.

She fires off a text to Leon to let him know that her appointment has gone well. He still probably ought to know that she’s alright, because he will at the very least ask about her well-being even if he doesn’t ask about the twins much. She wishes he’d take more of an interest, but she’s told herself not to press things too much, no matter how much she wants to say something. She doesn’t want him to start running from her. He knows he can talk to her, she’s told him as much, but maybe the constant reminder of the changes her body is going through means he feels unable to. She’s not sure, but she fears that if this goes on for much longer she is going to snap.

She turns into the street her lab is on, only to notice a crowd seems to be surrounding her door. _Shit, the paparazzi again already? I thought it’d at least be a couple of days!_ But as she edges closer, she doesn’t see any cameras or microphones. If anything, the people surrounding her lab seem to be regular folk. She knows Leon has a lot of fans in Wedgehurst (same as everywhere else, really) – surely they aren’t here to ask questions about him or the babies she’s carrying?

But then an older man turns to her and he’s shaking, “Professor Magnolia! I-I’m sorry, we don’t know who did it! The police have been called, they’re on their way right now! There’s been no sign of young Hop and-”

She frowns; something feels very wrong, “What happened?”

The man turns to face the crowd and yells, “Oi! Out of the way people, let the professor through!”

The crowd subsides and Sonia, feeling anxious, reaches for Yamper’s Poké Ball and lets him out. She thinks about letting Applin out as well, but it’s young and not as high levelled as Yamper is, so she doesn’t want to throw it into a situation that it might not be ready to handle.

Yamper almost immediately seems to pick up on her tension, as with a sniff of the air the little Pokémon starts to growl. She edges closer to the lab, and the cause of the public’s concern becomes immediately obvious.

There, emblazoned on the lab’s front door in bright pink graffiti, are four words, blaring loudly into her soul.

‘ **THE USURPER** **S** **WILL** **BE DESTROYED** **’**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh goody, they're finally together but there's still a way to go! Thanks again for the comments and kudos!


	10. Vandalized

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She looks somewhat shaken (though on a lesser scale than Hop) so he asks, “Are you okay?”
> 
> “Could be better,” she says with a weak laugh, “Not exactly how I planned on my day going.”
> 
> “I’ll bet.”

“I need to run through this again to be sure, Professor. You left the Maternity Clinic at eleven AM and went straight to the shops?”

Sonia sighs, feeling annoyed. Her damn lab door has been vandalized, why on earth are the police here wasting their questioning _her?_ “Yes, I went to buy myself some lunch.”

“Can anyone else confirm that?”

“Mrs. Roberts was the one who served me, so ask her.”

“Right,” he marks that down on his notepad, “And you haven’t seen your assistant at all this morning?”

“No, I gave him the morning off because of my appointment,” she folds her arms across her chest impatiently and they almost rest on her bump, “He’s been in Postwick with his mum. Even if he weren’t, he would never do something like this.”

“I don’t doubt that, Professor, but I have to ask so that I have a clear idea of everyone’s whereabouts,” the police officer gives her a tight smile, “Can you think of anyone who might have a grudge against you?”

She can only think of one pair of bastards who have had a grudge against her previously, even though they’ve since declared they were wrong and apologized more than once. She doesn’t hesitate to mention them though, because it’s always a possibility that their apologies were insincere or that they changed their minds, “There were two weirdos a while back. Sordward and Shielbert, I think their names were.”

“Ah yes, I recall them,” the officer replies without taking his eyes off of his notes, “The descendants of former royalty who were behind the mass dynamaxing incident across Galar’s Gyms a while back. The gentlemen that your assistant claimed assaulted one of the legendary heroes.”

“It’s not just a claim when they admitted to it,” she hisses, because she’s so fed up with this shit. Because of their high status as royal descendants they'd gotten out of a prison sentence and nobody seemed to want to punish them in the way that she felt they deserved. Not only that, but she just wants the police to do their damn job for once and nab the slimeballs that did this because this is the last thing she wants to deal with right now on top of Leon and her pregnancy, “Anyway, they had it out for me because my book told the truth and they didn’t like it. They’re the only people I know who I’ve had issues with personally.”

“They’re supposed to be doing community service in Hammerlocke but we can certainly question them to be sure that they were where they should have been,” the police officer says, looking up at her from her notes, “Anyone else? Is it possible that somebody could be targeting you because of your relationship with the former Champion? A jealous ex of his, perhaps?”

“He’s never dated before, so probably not,” though now the thought’s in her head that perhaps it _could_ have been a jealous fangirl – it’s not like he hasn’t got a lot of those. It’s a possibility, but then why the use of the word ‘usurpers’? That implies there’s more than one ‘usurper’, whoever they are, and those weirdos are the only two people she’s ever known to use that word… that, and their followers, “They had followers – Sordward and Shielbert, that is. I remember that. Maybe one of them can’t accept that they’ve apologized?”

The police officer marks that down as well, “We’ll be sure to look into that.”

“Is your mate done with my assistant?” she jerks her head back towards the back room where another officer is interrogating Hop. The kid’s a tough one so he’s probably not frightened, but she knows that he’s worried about this, and when he saw the graffiti on her door he’d been shaking with rage. It had taken everything in her to calm him down and insist that she was fine.

“Hopefully soon, Professor Magnolia.”

Almost as if on cue, the door opens and Hop walks out, followed by another police officer. He looks ashen and not like the usual bouncy, enthusiastic young man she usually sees. She feels a surge of protectiveness almost overcoming her and she can’t help but wrap her arms around him once he’s close enough.

“I think that’ll be enough to go on,” the officer who spoke to her says, “We’ll be in touch as soon as we learn more,” he lifts his hat to them briefly, “Professor Magnolia, Mr. Hayes.”

With that, the two officers leave. Sonia and Hop are alone. She holds him against her tighter and she can feel him shaking, “Are you alright? What did they ask you?”

He lets out a wobbly breath, “Just where I was this morning and if I knew anybody who might have it out for me or you.”

_Same as me, then._

“I’m alright though,” he continues, “Just… really angry. I mean, who the _hell_ would do something like this? And what do they mean by ‘usurpers’?”

She doesn’t know any more than he does. All she can do is hope that the police are actually able to do something about this, especially given how bloody useless they were during the whole dynamaxing debacle. It shouldn’t have been solely put on Piers, Hop and Gloria to sort _that_ mess out. Gloria might be the Champion and one of the best trainers she’s ever seen but she’s not a superhero, she’s a sportswoman. It’s the same with Leon, who ended up fixing a lot of the dynamaxing problems prior to the events of the Darkest Day. Surely saving the world from bloody idiots and terrorists shouldn’t be a part of the Champion’s job description?

“Is Lee still coming?” Hop asks quietly as he moves towards the lab’s kitchen, clearly in desperate need for a cup of tea.

“Yeah, he should be here soon,” he murmurs back. She’d sent him a text not long after she’d seen the graffiti on her door, letting him know what had happened and he’d replied by telling her he was on his way over. She hates to think of how many trainers might be disappointed at having to wait to battle him because of this, but she’s glad that he’s coming because she really needs him right now. It takes roughly an hour or so to get back to Wedgehurst from Wyndon if he’s flying at a consistent speed on Charizard (and about two and half hours by train), so she’s not expecting a fast appearance.

Hop tinkers around in the kitchen, preparing them both some hot tea which she hopes will calm both of their nerves. When he’s done, he puts hers on her desk and sits opposite her, taking a sip before he speaks again, “So what do you think?”

“I don’t know,” she shrugs before quickly taking a sip of tea herself, “I’ve never really had any enemies that I can think of outside of the weirdo twins, and they’ve supposedly reformed. If it isn’t them, then I don’t know who it could be.”

“I did think… but it’s probably stupid.”

“No, go on.”

Hop clenches his cup of tea tighter to him, “I thought maybe… Rose.”

She frowns again, feeling the familiar ripple of anger course through her chest at the mention of the man’s name, “Rose is in prison Hop, and he’ll hopefully rot in there for a very long time.”

“I know, but I meant-” he runs a hand through his hair anxiously and she can’t help but draw the comparison between him and his brother who she’s noticed does exactly the same thing when he’s nervous, “He had all sorts of people working for him. What if he’s ordered some of his lackeys to do it… because Gloria and me stopped the Darkest Day?”

The idea does have some merit, to be fair. In spite of turning himself in and admitting to his crimes, Rose never _truly_ showed any remorse for his actions. He’d effectively said at his sentencing that he would cause all that panic and destruction again given half the chance if it meant he might succeed in ‘saving Galar’ and to this day he still seems to hold the same views. The man is, at his core, an utter lunatic and a control freak, and given that he _still_ has a few people who seem to share his views, it’s not entirely out of left field to consider that he would hold a grudge against Gloria and Hop and would want to put the fear of Arceus into them.

She’s not sure what to say to him. It’s always a possibility. She can only hope that Hop mentioned it to the police.

* * *

“Hop! Sonia! Are you in there?”

 _Oh thank Arceus._ He can see them sat together on opposite sides of Sonia’s desk and he breathes a sigh of relief that he’s managed to find them as quickly as he has, and that they’re unharmed. He’d _just_ finished a battle at the Battle Tower when Sonia’s text arrived, informing him that her lab door has been vandalized with a threatening message, and he hadn’t been able to shake the thought from his mind of Sonia and Hop being attacked, of them being hurt… he _hated_ being so far away from them sometimes.

He returns Charizard to its Poké Ball, and doesn’t hesitate to hurry inside. Both of them get to their feet to greet him and he throws his arms around the both of them, holds them tightly against him and tries to calm his breathing. _They’re okay, they’re not hurt…_

He tries to get a hold of himself, “Are you both alright?”

Sonia nods and pulls away slightly, and while he feels a bit disappointed at first it doesn’t take long for him to notice her discreetly look at Hop, who is clearly shaken and looking very pale. Of course, Hop needs him more right now and Sonia’s evidently backing off to let him give his brother the comfort he needs. So he squeezes his brother against him, offering reassurances that whatever this is, whoever did this, they would get caught and there would be nothing to worry about. Hop buries his head into his shoulder and it’s almost like they’re kids again with Hop begging him to _please_ not go back to Wyndon yet, to _please_ stay with him and play longer. The memory makes his heart hurt.

“Hopscotch?” he whispers and his brother finally pulls back, and both Leon and Sonia can see Hop has tears beginning to form in his eyes.

The young lad pulls away and wipes his eyes furiously, plastering one of his usual cheeky smiles on his face, “Sorry. I don’t mean to make you worry.”

“You’re my _brother_ ,” Leon tells him firmly, “Of course I’ll worry. Don’t apologize for that.”

Sonia is biting her lip, almost like she’s holding back a laugh and he knows what she’s thinking – probably something along the lines of _‘look who’s saying not to apologize’_ because that’s something he’s done a lot of since the whole pregnancy thing has unravelled into his life. But he’s not going to think about that, not now anyway, because there’s still stuff he needs to mentally unpack in that area and he doesn’t want to weigh Sonia down with that.

“So what happened exactly?” he asks as he sits down. Sonia launches into the story of how she’d gotten back to the lab following her midwife appointment and a visit to the shops for lunch only to find the crude threat on her door buried behind a crowd of people who were seemingly stunned that their beloved professor’s lab door has been attacked in such a way.

“I think it might be meant for me Lee,” Hop says quietly, “A message to me and Gloria.”

“Have you seen Gloria at all today?” Sonia asks. Leon folds his arms across his chest and shakes his head, causing Hop to look up in alarm. She chews her lip in concern, “Maybe someone should text her and make sure she’s alright.”

“I’ll call her,” Hop jumps up immediately, as if he’s been looking for an excuse the second Sonia asked Leon if he’d seen her, “I’ll be back in a sec.”

He leaves the room, his phone in hand as he seems to be shakily trying to find Gloria’s number on his phone and upon shutting the door behind him, Sonia takes a seat beside him with an exhale of breath. Leon takes her hand, squeezing it tightly while she rests her head on his shoulder. He once again has to remind himself that she’s really here and perfectly unharmed… physically, anyway. She looks somewhat shaken (though on a lesser scale than Hop) so he asks, “Are _you_ okay?”

“Could be better,” she says with a weak laugh, “Not exactly how I planned on my day going.”

“I’ll bet.”

She takes another deep breath, “Hop thinks it might be Rose.”

“But Rose is-”

“In prison, I know,” she waves her hand impatiently, “He thinks he’s gotten people to do it for him, out of revenge for stopping the Darkest Day.”

Leon frowns, the hand not holding hers pressed against his chin stroking his trimmed beard, “Honestly? I doubt that.”

She looks astonished, “Why? It’s not like he’s shown any remorse.”

“I know, but… the whole Darkest Day thing. I don’t think he meant for it to go as badly as it did. When I went down to the Power Plant that day and confronted him, he sort of… seemed a little taken aback. Like he underestimated how powerful Eternatus really was,” Sonia makes a move to interrupt but he quickly clarifies, “Don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t make him any less of a terrorist. But wanting revenge? I don’t know about that. I’ve worked with the man for years Sonia, and while he’s a tosser in more ways than one, I just… don’t see him doing something like that. I’m sorry. ”

“Hmm,” she doesn’t sound happy about that, and he knows a lot of that is down to her personal dislike of Rose for dominating so much of his life when he was Champion, but that’s just how he sees it and as much as he doesn’t want to aggravate her, he’s not going to lie to her either.

“What about Oleana?” Sonia finally asks stiffly, and Leon shrugs in reply.  
  
“I don’t think she’ll have any reason to want revenge over it either. The last I heard, she’s technically still working for him, even though she apparently really regretted the whole Darkest Day thing.”

“Do you still see her then?”

“I’ve not spoken to her since the sentencing, but I’ve seen her in Wyndon a few times. She’s been volunteering on his behalf at some places.”

“Right.”

“I can ask her about it if you like,” he offers, though he _definitely_ still doubts Oleana has much to do with this either. Since Rose’s incarceration, she’s been throwing herself into her voluntary work as and where it’s needed (granted it was on Rose’s instruction but still) and while he _really_ doesn’t like the woman and knows she can be a very difficult person to deal with sometimes (mostly due to her being up Rose’s ass), this doesn’t feel like something she’d do either.

“Would you mind?” she asks, and she’s looking up at him with those gorgeous blue-green eyes of hers and he has to try not to get distracted.

“No, not at all. If I see her about again, I’ll ask,” he replies shakily. He’s never wanted to kiss her quite as much as in that moment, but he _can’t._ He _won’t_ let himself get carried away again, especially not while she’s pregnant. He tries to take his mind off of it by asking if she has any other ideas of who might do this and she brings up Sordward and Shielbert, which to him is a more plausible possibility.

“I heard they were doing community service in Hammerlocke, so maybe Raihan might know something,” he suggests, whipping out his phone, “Do you mind if I-?”

“Go ahead. I just want answers.”

He texts Raihan, letting him know what’s happened and asking him if he knows anything about Sordward and Shielbert’s whereabouts before tucking his phone back into his pocket and letting go of her hand to curl his arm around her shoulder instead. She’s still tense, but she’s starting to look better than she was when he came in.

“I’m going to be staying with my mum for a couple of days, if that’s alright with you,” he murmurs, “I just… I need to be sure you and Hop are definitely going to be okay.”

“What about the Battle Tower?” she asks, turning to look at him again, wearing a small, mischievous smile.

“It’ll be fine,” he reassures her, “My staff are a good bunch. They’ll probably rearrange my battles for another time, if I have any that is.”

“Won’t that bother the trainers just _gagging_ to sink their teeth into you?” she asks in a somewhat sultry voice.

Oh man, she’s actually _flirting_ with him now. He swallows in an attempt to keep himself under control, “Probably, but you guys are more important right now.”

Luckily for him, at that moment Hop walks back into the room and while he raises an eyebrow at the pair of them, he doesn’t say anything. He takes a seat, looking a tad sheepish but definitely far more relaxed than when he left the room, “Gloria’s fine. I caught her in the middle of an interview. Nothing’s happened on her end. She said if we wanted her to come down, then she would so…” his cheeks turn red.

“Typical,” Sonia tuts and rolls her eyes, but it’s clearly in jest, “Go on then, Romeo. I don’t think there’s much more we can do today anyway. I know _I’m_ not in the mood for doing any work.”

The young lad almost leaps back up and rushes over to hug her, “Thanks Sonia. You too, Lee. I don’t know what this is about, but Gloria’s tough so I know she’ll be okay… and I will be too. I have to be, right? I mean, someone’s gotta protect my nieces or nephews when you’re not here Lee,” he winks at them before he practically skips out of the lab, his mood far better than what it was when he entered it.

Leon winces at the reminder that he’s not able to protect Sonia himself. Not that she needs _much_ protecting. He’s always been proud enough to call her his rival even if after a time she felt undeserving of the title. She might not be anywhere near the same level as he, Raihan, Hop and Gloria are, but he never considered her a total pushover either. 

“I’d better head home,” Sonia sighs, getting to her feet while his arm slides off of her and lands on her chair, “No doubt Gran will have heard about this. She and Granddad are probably worried about me.”

“I’ll walk with you then,” he says and he gets up as well, revelling in the happy smile that she gives him in reply as her eyes sparkle.

“You’re not afraid of Gran giving you another lecture?”

“Nah, I can handle her,” he chuckles, though he definitely doesn’t feel confident in his words. Two weeks prior when he’d picked her up from her home for a date, the former professor had gestured for him to come inside and proceeded to give him a firm talking to alongside Sonia’s grandfather about how they wanted him to show some responsibility and step up, and how if he hurts Sonia then they’d be extremely disappointed in him. Like he doesn’t feel guilty enough as it is.

Still, she needs him right now and he’s not about to leave her on her own.

So after locking up the lab the two of them set off together towards Sonia’s house on Route 2 and after some hesitation, he takes her hand again. Hand holding won’t set him off, he reasons, and he can still enjoy the warmth that comes from being in physical contact with her. He wants more though, that much he cannot deny. He wants nothing more than to cave again and let her have all of him but he doesn’t want to run the risk of losing this – he almost lost her once because he couldn’t control himself and he doesn’t want her to think he wants their relationship to be solely based on sex. Then there’s the matter of the pregnancy because no matter how he feels about it, it’s something Sonia’s determined to go through with and he doesn’t want to end up hurting her or the babies.

Perhaps he should ask her about her appointment with the midwife but he’s still not sure if he feels comfortable talking about it yet. He should be, he _knows_ he probably should be because she needs him to be on board with this if this is going to work, but then he’d only end up burdening her with all of his mental weight and she doesn’t need that right now, especially not when she now has this whole vandalism thing hanging over her on top of everything else.

He thinks that maybe he could talk to his mum about it. She’s always been good at helping him with emotional matters and… maybe she might have some answers about his dad. Though he doesn’t particularly want to dredge up those memories for her, he’s beginning to think that soon he might have to, because there’s nobody else who really knows about the impact it left on their family – Hop was only a year old when the man left and never knew him.

But that can wait. Right now, he just wants to get Sonia home safely.

“I’ve decided I’m coming up to Wyndon on my twentieth week,” she says slowly, almost like she’s trying to gain a particular response from him, and it’s almost uncanny how it seems like she’s read his mind, “I thought that maybe you could come to my scan with me?”

“Mm,” he hesitates because he’s not too sure how to feel about that, “I suppose. If you really want me to.”

“Of course I want you to!” she suddenly snaps, and she’s stopped to turn and face him, snatching her hand out of his. She's scowling at him. It looks like she’s trying not to cry, “I admit it, I want you to see them moving and hear their hearts beating! I want you to face this thing with me like you said you would, rather than hide away and pretend it’s not happening! I mean, _look at me!”_ she gestures to her now noticeable growing bump, “It’s happening, and I know it’s scary! You think _I’m_ not scared too? You think I have _any_ idea of what I’m doing? I _don’t,_ I’m figuring this shit out as I go along!”

“Son, I-”

“Just…” she sighs and it seems like she's really trying to calm down but failing miserably at it, “I know you’ve been there for me. But you’ve sort of been keeping your distance too and I’m sick of it. And why won’t you just kiss me properly damn it!”

 _So that’s what this is really about? Not the twins?_ “It’s not like I don’t want to!”

“Then what’s the problem? Is it… Am I getting too fat for you now?” she’s properly crying now, and he feels sick with himself because he’d promised himself he wouldn’t hurt her again and yet here she is, in tears because of him.

“No!”

“Then why?”

“I don’t want to get carried away again and risk hurting you!”

“You’re hurting me now Leon,” she snarls, wiping her eyes furiously, “If you can’t see that, then I don’t know what to do or say to _make_ you see it.”

He doesn’t know what to say to that. Most likely pregnancy hormones are playing havoc with her emotions and amplifying them to crazily high levels but even if that is the case there is still truth in her words. He thought that if he held back then he wouldn’t hurt her – wouldn’t hurt _them_ – but if all it’s doing is hurting her, he has to wonder if it’s even worth it. He doesn’t want to lose her.

She’s starting to walk away so he decides to swallow his pride and chase after her, grabbing her hand again once he’s close enough, “You’re right Son. I’m sorry. I just thought… I didn’t want you to think that this was just about sex for me and… I… I really didn’t want to hurt… _them._ ”

She snorts derisively while wiping her eyes furiously, “First time you’ve shown you care about them.”

“I _do_ care about them,” he replies in desperation and it’s not untrue, even if he probably hasn’t been showing it, “It’s just… there’s a lot of stuff in my head, Sonia. Stuff I… don’t really like to talk about.”

“I understand that, but if it’s hanging over you _this_ much then maybe you _should_ talk about it,” she tells him dismissively, “I’m here for you. You _know_ that. We’re in this together aren’t we?”

“Yeah,” he nods, “I just don’t want to give you more to worry about than what’s already on your shoulders. And… it’s kind of personal. I was thinking of talking about it with my mum, actually.”

She looks disappointed that he still isn’t up to talking about it with her, but she seems to reign herself in and forces a tight smile onto her face, “Okay. Well… do that if it’ll help you. And regarding you hurting them, I asked my midwife today about sex. She said it can’t hurt them. No bloke is _that_ big.”

“Are you sure about that?” he raises an eyebrow in a half-hearted attempted at humouring her, “I mean, she _clearly_ hasn’t seen Raihan’s dick if that’s the case.”

“And _you_ have?” she asks as a small giggle seems to escape her, and he’s relieved that the tension seems to be easing.

“Changing room urinals at our exhibition match last year,” he says and he feels his face heating in embarrassment, “I had to use the main ones because my personal one was broken.”

“You were _staring?_ ”

“Hey, if you were there, you would have stared too! It’s kind of hard _not_ to when you see a cock _that_ big!”

She quirks a brow at him and he has to suppress the urge to wipe that smug smirk off of her face. Eventually she says, “But anyway, back to what I was saying before you started talking about Raihan’s cock…” she wrinkles her nose slightly, “you’re not so big that you can reach them. Apparently babies don’t even know anything’s happening at all.”

“Hold on, is this your way of telling me that you want to have sex again?”

She blushes slightly but she still manages to look directly at him with a steely resolve in her eyes that makes him shiver, “Yes, if that’s alright with you.”

He’s still uncertain, but if the midwife says it’s okay then he’ll put his trust in that because he’d be lying if he said he hasn’t been longing for her in an intimate fashion as much as she’s been longing for him, “I’m on board with that but… if I go too far or you change your mind, let me know, yeah?”

“Of course,” she says, squeezing his hand.

They finally arrive back at the Magnolia’s house, and he thinks he’s feeling a bit better because he has a clearer idea on where he stands with her, and he knows now that she _doesn’t_ think he’s out purely to fuck her and little else. Granted, he’s not sure how he’ll feel when the time comes for them to consummate their relationship, but he knows that he wants her and that the twins will be safely oblivious, which is a positive at least. After Sonia reassures her grandparents (who are waiting by the front door) that she’s fine and that there’s nothing for her to worry about (after which they head back inside), she turns back to face Leon.

“Well, if you’re going back to your mum’s… I’ll see you tomorrow?”

“I’d like that,” he says with a shy smile, lifting her hand up and pressing her knuckles to his lips. She flushes and for a moment he stares at her, wondering if he dares to because he’s promised her he’d try not to hold back as much, because he knows now that she wants this as much as he does, so he gathers his courage and leans forward to press his lips against hers.

He’s glad he did because he almost immediately feels satisfaction flood through his very being. She immediately opens her mouth and he cannot resist giving her what she wants. He can taste the pineapple and mango on her tongue as his dances around it. He pulls himself closer to her, curling his arms tightly around her waist so she’s firmly pressed up against him. He can feel her bump but for once it honestly doesn’t bother him that much, in fact this is making him want to touch it because it’s still a part of _her_ which means it’s beautiful. So he does, his hands glide up from her bum to her hips to the sides of her bump and she lets out a satisfied sigh into his mouth. Her hands are stroking through his hair, her nails lightly scraping across his scalp. He’s really enjoying this, and he’d probably have enjoyed it for longer if her fingers didn’t catch on a tangle in his hair which causes him to choke and pull himself away from her, with her desperately apologizing.

Perhaps it’s for the best, because as much as a part of him really wants to grab her by the hand again and head inside with her to her bedroom, he knows that her Gran and Granddad will no doubt have something to say about it and it’d be just _awkward_ for him knowing that they’re there and fully aware of what they’re up to. That and… he perhaps should still give it a little bit of time before they do anything like that. _Just_ a little bit.

So he gives her one last cuddle against him, relishing in her warmth, and presses a soft kiss against her forehead, “I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

“Until tomorrow,” she whispers and she steps away, closing the door behind her and he lets out a satisfied exhale of his own. _Everything’s going to be okay. We’re going to work through this._

Of course that doesn’t mean that a certain shadow isn’t still mentally bothering him in the back of his mind and he feels sure that _he’s_ part of the reason he’s been holding back on Sonia and going against his own desires. Possibly.

Sonia is almost certainly right – he _does_ need to talk to someone about it, and he knows that only one person can possibly give him the answers and reassurances he needs.

He briefly checks his phone again to see if anyone’s texted him regarding Sonia’s vandalism problem and there’s been nothing, so he puts it back into his pocket and whips Charizard’s Poké Ball off of his belt to let him out.

“Hey bud, I know it’s not far but… help me get home? I need to talk to mum.”

Charizard lets out a grunt before beginning to lead the way home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally, Leon's starting to get his mojo going again! As for who the culprit is... well, who knows?
> 
> Thanks again for your comments and kudos! They are a huge encouragement and honestly make my day! Until next week!


	11. In His Blood

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “So what is? If you’re worried about being a good father then-”
> 
> “That’s the thing,” he licks his lips and he can feel himself tense, “How can I be a good father when my dad-” his mother is also tensing now and he feels awful, but he keeps going, “-when I haven’t got a good example?”

It only takes fifteen minutes to get home usually, but he manages to drag it out to twenty by walking slowly along the two routes that lead him back to his mother’s house because he feels he should think about how he’s going to broach the subject with his mum – she’s not really spoken about his father for years. Whenever it was brought up she would always look sad and she’d hesitate with regards to talking about it. It had clearly hurt her and as much as Leon doesn’t want to cause any more pain for her, he knows in his heart that he needs to move forward and his mum is the only person who has answers which will help him do that. He doesn’t want this hanging between him and Sonia – who knows if and when her patience with him will run out? He doesn’t want to think about that happening.

So when he finally enters his childhood home and finds his mum in the kitchen preparing dinner, he hesitates before greeting her with a warm, tight hug which fills him with comfort. She squeezes him back before pulling away, regarding him with soft golden eyes that are the same as his, “I heard about what happened at the lab from Hop. Is Sonia alright?”

“A bit shaken but she’s fine,” he replies, stepping back and running a hand through his hair nervously, “Where _is_ Hop?”

“In his room,” she points upwards, “Still getting ready for Gloria. Apparently she’s on her way down because of this whole mess?”

“Yeah, she is.”

“Bless his little heart, he had _such_ a smile on his face when he came in and told me she was coming,” she smiles widely, “I always had a feeling about those two, you know.”

“Oh,” Why can’t he say something helpful? This is his _mother,_ for goodness sake.

“Shameful business, really,” she carries on, turning back to the stove to stir the baked beans in the saucepan, “It’s the last thing poor Sonia needs right now. Does she have any idea on who might have done it?”

“There’s a few ideas, but that’s really all they are at the moment,” he answers, trying to think of how to broach the subject because he doesn’t want to appear insensitive (and that’s something he can be prone to doing at times). As much as he respects that his mother is worried about Sonia and her unborn grandchildren, he knows that Sonia will be okay now that she’s home and resting with her family. The fiery redhead is tougher than most people (and that includes him sometimes) give her credit for – she has to be to deal with all of this and still find the strength to smile and make jokes at his expense. He hesitates before he begins again, “Mum, I need to talk to you about something that’s been troubling me.”

“Of course sweetheart, but can it wait until after dinner? It’s nearly ready.”

He nods before making his way into the living room where his grandmother is sitting and he ends up having to answer her questions regarding Sonia and the vandalising of her lab door all over again. His family of course were aware of Sonia’s pregnancy but they’d not suspected he was the father until he’d been put into a position where he felt he had to come clean. They’d been constantly telling him about how much work was going to go into raising someone else’s child, while praising him to others about how _good_ he was for being on board with taking on children that weren’t his later on down the road – well, he couldn’t lie to them, could he? They’d been shocked, and his grandparents had both given him an earful about how he should have been careful and how he should ‘make an honest woman of her’ while expressing concerns about the twins being born illegitimate (they’re quite old-fashioned in that regard – even more than Sonia’s gran and that surprises him because Sonia’s gran is pretty damn old-fashioned herself), but they were mostly supportive and his mum… well, she seemed excited about being a grandmother. More excited than he was about becoming a father anyway.

Dinner is a mostly quiet affair. Hop wolfs his dinner down at an insane speed and doesn’t seem to notice his mother asking him to slow down so he doesn’t get indigestion, and then once he’s done he’s out the door, presumably to go and wait at Gloria’s mum’s place. His mum goes to wash and dry the dishes while his grandparents watch their soap operas in peace. Leon heads to his room after his offer to help his mum with the dishes is politely refused and he spends some time sorting out his cap collection. After all, one or both of the twins may wind up wearing some of them one day. He finds that it’s not a thought that bothers him.

Eventually he overhears his grandparents turn in for the night so he heads back downstairs to find his mum sat at the kitchen table with two cups of hot chocolate and a plate of biscuits. She looks tired but she smiles when she sees him, and gestures to one of the chairs opposite her. He almost feels tempted to back out – she’s clearly exhausted herself worrying about Sonia and Hop after today’s events – but he knows if he doesn’t do this now then he never will.

_I’m doing this for Sonia. The twins too, I guess._

“So what’s been troubling you, honey?” she asks, taking a sip of hot chocolate from her cup, and he exhales, not sure where to begin. She seems to sense this, “Are you worried about Sonia? Or about becoming a father?”

“Both,” he admits, gazing down at his cup.

“Are you happy being in a relationship with Sonia?” she asks, looking concerned, and he can guess what she’s thinking – that he’s only in this relationship because of the twins, which is definitely not the case.

“Yeah,” he blurts out, “Definitely. I wanted this long before I even _knew_ about the twins.”

She seems to let out a sigh of relief, “Good, because you don’t _need_ to be in a relationship with her just because she’s carrying your children. Plenty of parents nowadays are separated and they still make things work.”

“I know. But I’m not with her just for the twins. I’m with her because I _want_ to be with her. I think I always have done.”

His mum flashes a somewhat smug grin which shows teeth, “You love her.”

“Maybe.” He won’t get into that right now. He hasn’t really thought about whether what he feels for Sonia is love or just a really powerful attraction. It’s most likely the former, given how worried he felt when he learnt of today’s predicament and how much he misses her when they’re on opposite ends of Galar. But he won’t say it until he’s absolutely one hundred percent sure that it _is_ what he feels for her, “But that’s not what’s been bothering me.”

“So what is? If you’re worried about being a good father then-”

“That’s the thing,” he licks his lips and he can feel himself tense, “How _can_ I be a good father when _my_ dad-” his mother is also tensing now and he feels awful, but he keeps going, “-when I haven’t got a good example?”

His mum frowns, “You _do_ have a good example sweetheart,” and she gestures towards his grandparents’ room. Of course his grandfather has been a wonderful example of how to be a male role model, he doesn’t dispute that, but Leon’s followed so many of his father’s footsteps already, what with him leaving his family behind to chase his dreams and all. Perhaps this was the wrong way of bringing the subject up. Before he can say anything to clarify what he means, she’s speaking again, “And for what it’s worth, _I_ think you’ll be brilliant. You’re a wonderful big brother to Hop and you’ve really stepped up to become more responsible, more than I ever thought you would.”

He’s not sure if he should be flattered by that or not, but it doesn’t change one simple fact that has been playing on his mind, “I still left you, though. Like he did.”

“They’re two completely different things. You both may have left home but one of you had serious responsibilities to dependent children and the other one did not. What kind of mother would I have been if I didn’t let my _child_ have the chance to live their own life in the way they choose?”

It’s a good point and one he doesn’t really have a counter for. He felt he had some responsibility to help his mother back then, but the reality was that he _was_ a child. It wasn’t his duty to help his mum raise his brother – he did that because he wanted to.

His mum bites her bottom lip, and she looks nervous, “Though with your dad… I can’t entirely blame him either, as much as I want to. If anything I pity him.”

It’s Leon’s turn to frown, “What do you mean by that?”

Her eyes fall to the half-empty cup of hot chocolate in front of her and she hesitates, “He had a lot of demons, let’s put it that way. You know how before you were born he competed in the Galar Gym Challenge?”

He nods, “Yeah. I remember he told me that he couldn’t beat the Hammerlocke Gym Leader so he gave up.”

“Yeah, well… he never _really_ got over it,” his mum begins to play with a few strands of hair next to her left cheek, “See, long before your friend Raihan took over, before even the Gym Leader before him … the Gym Leader of Hammerlocke was a piece of work. I wouldn’t say he was a total arsehole or anything but he got very competitive and he never held back on what he thought, no matter whether it could be considered hurtful or not. Your dad fought him four times and lost every time, and it was on the last loss that something was said to him. Something that made him quit.”

“What was that?”

“You’re pathetic and will never be good enough, so don’t bother showing your face here again, or something along those lines. It might have been more hurtful than that, I don’t know. He never liked to talk about it. But he gave up, and after that he didn’t see the point in pushing himself to do better in just about anything.”

Leon’s confused now, because if he couldn’t be bothered to do anything then why…? “So why did he go to take part in the Unova Pokémon League?”

“He didn’t. I…” she hesitates, squeezing her cup tightly, “I made that up. I thought it might make it easier for you to cope with. You were so young and… I just didn’t want you to be upset.”

He’s not really that angry – perhaps most people would be – but he’s not most people, “So where did he go? Why did he leave?”

His mother bit her lip again and she squirms in her seat uncomfortably, clearing not willing to divulge the reason, and she didn’t need to because when Leon mentally runs through the days prior to his dad leaving it becomes obvious to him why he left.

“It _was_ me, wasn’t it?” he whispers quietly, “Because that’s when I decided that I wanted to take part in the Gym Challenge.”

His mum hesitates, then nods, “That’s the reason he gave the night he left. You were only seven years old. Still too young to participate in the Challenge but you spoke about it _all_ the time to him, about how you couldn’t wait until you were ten, about what Pokémon you wanted to start with and you always asked him to watch matches on the telly with you.”

“I thought he’d be encouraging,” a forlorn smile crosses Leon’s face, “Thought it’d make him happy because he’d done the Challenge too.”

“You kept saying you were going to be the youngest ever Champion in Galar,” his mum frowns again, but it’s a pained frown rather than a scrutinizing one, “He didn’t like that. He was… convinced you were overreaching. That you were going to fail.”

It’s strange, because his dad had always told him he expected better from him, and perhaps now that he thinks about it, maybe this is the root of why he always had those high expectations. Leon remembers the words his dad had used again that night. ‘Failure’ seems to ring in his mind especially.

“Anyway, we ended up having a rather unpleasant row.”

_Yeah. I think I remember that now. That’s an understatement._

* * *

Seven year old Leon couldn’t sleep. How could he, after watching such an awesome battle on the telly? He’d stayed up especially to watch it, had leapt up in delight whenever a critical hit had happened and when the two remaining Pokémon on the field had dynamaxed, he let out a yell which had led his dad to scold him because he could have woken his little brother up (which his mother would have had to sort out because his dad never really did _anything_ with Hop).

When the match had finished, he’d started on his daily babble about how one day _he_ was going to do the Gym Challenge, and how _he_ was going to go beyond that particular point in the Gym Challenge – he was going to _become_ the Champion. He’d thought his dad would be thrilled. He thought that perhaps his dad would take him to one side and say, “okay son, I believe in you, here are the things you’ll need to know” and he’d help him master type match-ups or something like that. What he’d gotten instead was either indifference or, on a few rare occasions, frustration.

_“You need someone to endorse you first and no one’s going to endorse a kid.”_

_“Training is hard work. Far too hard for a ten year old.”_

_“The Gym Leaders are hard enough to beat. What makes you think you can beat them, let alone the goddamn Champion?”_

_“Oh, you want a Charmander? And where are you planning on getting one of those? They’re not a native species in Galar, you know.”_

_“I heard you the first time Leon, so will you stop going on about it?! I’m getting sick of hearing about it!”_

So when he started his post-match chat about what _he_ would have done when the time came for him to challenge that person that night, his dad covered his face with his hand and in an exhausted voice mumbled, “Not tonight, Leon. Please.”

When Leon persisted, his dad had started to snap at him, which only made the boy more persistent for answers. He asked his dad why he didn’t think he could do it, and his dad had snapped, “If I wasn’t good enough, then _you_ probably won’t be! Sorry mate, but that’s just how it is!”

He opened his mouth to say something but then his mum walked in, rested a hand on his shoulder and proceeded to guide him out of the living room, up the stairs and into his bedroom. She looked angry and for a moment he felt bad because she was probably angry with him because he didn’t just let things lie, but when she tucked him in and kissed him on his forehead, she assured him that he wasn’t the cause. She whispered that she loved him and that _she_ thought he could do anything he put his mind to, then she left him, and he’d spent some time going over the match in his head. Anything to block his dad’s words out because he was wrong, he _could_ do it and once he turned ten, he _would_ do it. He knew more about type match-ups than any other kid at his school, and that was really the cornerstone of Pokémon battling.

A little while later, he’s interrupted from his thoughts by raised voices coming from downstairs. “ _I’m_ selfish? _I’m_ not the one talking about fucking off to do the Galar Gym Challenge!”

 _That’s Dad’s voice._ He was tempted to duck his head under his duvet because he knew what this was the beginning of. It wasn’t unusual for his parents to argue but this one seemed different. This argument was about _him_ so his curiosity was well and truly piqued. He hesitated, then slowly slipped out of his bed and gently tiptoed across the floor to his bedroom door which is slightly ajar – a result of him still not liking the dark very much.

“He’s _seven_ , what seven year old doesn’t have dreams of things like this?” his mum’s voice said firmly, but there was an underlying shake to it, like she was trying to hold her anger back. Mum always was the most restrained of the two of them so it didn’t come as a surprise to Leon.

“I’m sick of hearing about it, Eva! I have _asked_ him and _asked_ him to drop the subject but he just keeps arguing with me about it! He _knows_ I don’t like talking about it!”

“So you think that makes it acceptable to tell him he’s going to fail?”

“I’m not going to _lie_ to the lad! No ten year old is going to become the Champion, and that’s a fact! He’ll be a failure! A laughing stock! He’ll come home after it’s done and he’ll be all upset and torn up that he didn’t do better! I don’t want that for him!”

“So because _you_ failed the challenge, you don’t want him to even try?”

“That’s not it!”

“It is and you know it. Besides, he’s not old enough to do the Challenge yet. For all we know he might have forgotten all about this by the time he actually turns ten.”

“You _really_ think so? Leon’s wanted a poxy Charmander since he was three and he hasn’t changed his mind one bit about that!”

“Okay, so say he _does_ still want to do the Challenge in three years time. Are _you_ going to be the one to go up to him and tell him that he cannot go when so many other kids are?”

“If I have to, yes!”

Leon paused, his fingers clenched around the doorknob as he pulled the door open a little more, ignoring the feeling of anger and sadness in his heart. His dad simply didn’t understand!

“Then you _are_ selfish,” he heard his mum hiss and there was so much venom in her words that the boy couldn’t help but flinch, “You just don’t want to deal with any aftermath regardless of whether he succeeds or fails. Because if he succeeds you’ll resent him for doing better than you did and if he fails you’ll be reminded of your failure which, let’s face it, you still haven’t gotten over.”

“Shut up!” his dad snarled, “You haven’t got a fucking _clue!_ You weren’t there! I was a stupid kid with stupid dreams and I had them yanked out from under me, but it made me grow up! It made me realize that sometimes you need to stay in your lane and-”

“Never try.”

A silence fell between them and Leon wondered if that might be the end of it. He doubted it however. His dad was the sort who had to have the last word, no matter what.

His mum spoke again, “So this is some kind of attempt to shield Leon from feeling failure?”

His dad answered and he sounded almost calm, but Leon knew his dad well enough to guess that he was probably still angry and was mentally preparing for round two, “I just don’t want him to have to feel that pain.”

“Well, he won’t be happy if he doesn’t get to try when the time comes. _That’ll_ cause him pain, did you think of that?”

“Yeah well, kids don’t always know what’s good for them. He’ll understand when he’s older.”

“How can he be expected to understand when _I_ can’t even understand your reasoning? You’re _projecting_ onto him Frank. You always have done, with how you’re constantly criticizing him and telling him he’s not good enough. The reality is, that’s how you feel about yourself and you just can’t admit it.”

“That is _not_ -”

“It _is_ and I’m _sick_ of our son suffering for it! I get that you failing the Challenge hit you hard, I get that deep down it probably made you feel like you can’t do anything! I get that you have a lot of issues because of it, but that is _not_ his fault and he will _not_ be made to suffer for it!”

His dad raised his voice again, and Leon can hear the almost uncontrollable fury in his tone, “I can see that no matter what I bloody well say or do you’ll always take his side! Mummy’s little boy until the very end!”

Leon felt the sting in his heart but he didn’t have much time to think about it because he can hear little Hop in the room opposite beginning to stir. He fought the urge to go into his baby brother’s room to calm him before he went into a full-blown crying fit, because if his dad caught him out of bed he’d be in deep trouble, and his dad seemed to be angry enough with him as it was.

“It’s not a competition!”

“Really?! Because it feels like it is sometimes! You baby him too much, I try and counterbalance that and yet _I’m_ the one that’s fucked in the head?! Well you know what, fine! I’ve had it! I’ve had enough of this bullshit! If you think you know so much better about being a fucking parent then go ahead and do it by yourself! I _refuse_ to be trapped here and made to deal with the mess _you_ cause when _my child_ comes back from his Gym Challenge in three years time crying his eyes out because he couldn’t manage it!”

“What are you saying?”  
  
“I’m saying I’m _done,_ Eva! I’m going! I’m not going to stick around and wait for my son’s life to be fucked up because _you_ don’t know how to tell him no!”

“You don’t mean it,” Leon’s mum seemed to quieten, but there was still a firmness and determination in her voice, “You love those boys. You won’t put them through that heartbreak.”

“Yeah? Well if what you say is true and I’ve got issues then maybe they’ll be better off without me! _You_ certainly seem to think so! So maybe it’s out of _love_ that I’m leaving!”

Hop began to bawl loudly at that point and Leon knew he couldn’t stay where he was, so he quietly yet quickly shut the door back to its original position and deftly tiptoed back over to his bed, climbing in and pulling the duvet over his head. He tried to block out the sounds of his mother insisting that his dad not make such awful threats while his dad continued to yell incoherently, and then his mother was crying and begging him not to go just seconds before he heard the door slam.

* * *

The weight in his chest is a heavy one. This talk was supposed to make him feel better and offer him reassurance, yet now he feels worse knowing that _he’s_ the reason his dad walked away from them. Granted, he’d always suspected that had been the case deep down, but hearing that it’s the truth doesn’t make him feel any better.

“I’m sorry mum,” Leon says as he grabs her hand and squeezes it.

Her eyes are watery but she’s frowning again and it’s a firm frown, “Don’t. This wa _s not_ your fault in _any way_. You were a child. He was an adult and should have known better. He should have tried to put his own feelings, his own _demons_ aside for yours and Hop’s sake. I really thought he could have done, because I know he _did_ love you and your brother no matter how it seemed on the surface. I don’t doubt he tried initially – he did have therapy sessions and he even gave anti-depressants a go. But it turned out he just couldn’t move past it.”

Leon still doesn’t feel much better, “So where did he go?”

His mum shrugged, “I don’t know. I think he might have been in Kanto at some point, but I’m not entirely sure if -” she pauses and she looks like she has something else she wants to say, but she decides against it, “well, it’s done now and it’s not my business anyhow. We’re not together any more and you boys have grown up into fine young men without him.”

“If you say so.”

“I _do_ say so,” she squeezes his hand back and licks her lips slightly, “You are _nothing_ like him. You’ve always been so confident and self-assured. You’ve never held back when it comes to getting what you want, but you’ve always thought of others as well. You don’t tear others down to feel better about yourself, you encourage people to be the best they can be without belittling or patronizing them,” she squeezes his hand again and smiles warmly at him, “You are going to be a _brilliant_ dad, dandelion.”

They’re nice words and he cannot deny they’re true to some degree but he still doesn’t feel like he will be good at the whole parenting thing. She probably senses this – that’s totally a mum thing, he thinks – because she moves to sit next to him and curls an arm around his shoulder, even though he’s taller than her now and she has to stretch up a little bit, “Remember when Hop wanted to go on his Gym Challenge? How worried you were about it?”

Of course, he could never forget that, “Yeah. I was a nervous wreck, thinking of him out there all on his own,” he laughs.

She continues to smile, allowing a hand to stroke through his long hair, “And yet you still brought those Pokémon up. You still signed an endorsement letter for him. You never tried to stop him from following _his_ dream.”

“Fair point,” he replies and he feels his lips quirk upwards. It’s all true – he _didn’t_ stop Hop from going on his journey despite his own worries and that one part of him wishing his little brother would stay home. Being Champion was hard and he didn’t want Hop to lose his privacy, his time or his friendships with the people that mattered most to him, yet he wouldn’t have been much better than his dad if he’d tried to stop him based on his own experiences. He messed with him (and Gloria) a bit initially to make him work for his endorsement, but ultimately gritted his teeth and accepted the fact that his baby brother was growing up and taking his own steps to learn who he was as an individual and what he was made of.

Maybe he’s _not_ like his dad after all. Maybe he’ll be better for the twins than his dad was to him. After all, he _did_ learn a lot from him… like how _not_ to parent a kid.

“Thanks mum,” he mumbles, taking a sip of his hot chocolate and wrinkling his nose once he realizes it’s gone cold.

“You’re welcome sweetheart,” she squeezes him against her side and for a moment he feels like a kid again; not the kid that has to walk on tenterhooks whenever his dad is around, but the kid who can snuggle into his mum’s side and know that she’ll always be there for him to support him no matter what. If it wasn’t for her, he wouldn’t have been anywhere near as confident as he’d grown up being and he feels he owes her so much just for that.

“I still don’t know what I’m doing,” he admits as he reaches for a biscuit – at least they will still be good.

“Nobody does, honey,” she says with a small laugh, “You learn as you go along. It’s not easy. There will be times when you’ll find things hard, sometimes almost unbearable but I promise you this… the positives outweigh the negatives. So no matter what, keep going. You were the unbeatable Champion for over ten years. You can do _this_ , easily.”

“Yeah,” he says and for the first time he feels like he really _believes_ it, “Yeah, I can do this.”

“Good,” she whispers, leaning upwards to kiss his forehead much like she used to when he was a child, “And I’m always here. For both of you.”

“I know,” he gives her a swift kiss on the cheek and gets to his feet, “Thank you, mum. Anyway, I’d better turn in. Going to see Sonia tomorrow. Maybe help her repaint her lab door if the police are done with looking at it.”

“Of course. Good night sweetie.”

“Night, mum.”

He begins to make his way up to his childhood bedroom, feeling a little bit lighter than he did before the conversation started. Of course he can do this. He’d told Sonia that he’s always been up for a challenge and it’s true – so why should this be any different? He’ll be there for her, and he’ll do everything he can to be a better father than his own dad was to him. He hopes he doesn’t let Sonia or the twins down.

His phone vibrates in his pocket and he quickly pulls it out in case it’s Sonia. Instead Raihan’s picture is staring back at him and he lets out a sigh before answering, “Hey.”

Raihan mercifully sounds clearer than last time so at least it seems that he’s not on speaker phone, “Hey, is everybody okay over there?”

“Yeah, Hop and Sonia are a bit shaken but not hurt.”

“Good,” Raihan pauses, seeming to let out a sigh of relief before he continues, “Anyway, you wanted to know about the weirdo twins, right?”

“Yeah,” _Thank goodness I might be getting some answers for her,_ “I just want to know if you had any idea if they were in Hammerlocke today since they’re supposed to be doing community service over there?”

“Yeah mate, they were here cleaning my stadium and the vault all day. Sebastian can vouch for that as he’s been helping me watch them,” the dragon tamer replies with a quick yet awkward laugh, “Sorry mate, I don’t think they could have been the ones to have messed with Sonia’s lab door.”

“Right,” he can’t deny he’s disappointed – they were the best lead they had. But at least they’re not going to waste their time chasing innocent men. It’s back to square one though, and he knows Sonia isn’t going to like this, “Thanks mate.”

“No problem. Look after them, yeah?”

“Oh I will,” he says and it’s a promise to himself as much as it is to anyone else, “I definitely will.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, this whole chapter resonated with me on a personal level. If anyone else was able to resonate with this, just know that you are your own person and you ARE capable.
> 
> Thanks again for the reviews and the kudos!


	12. Consummation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I don’t know how long my grandparents are going to be gone for,” she begins slowly, trying to sound reasonably normal, “They might be out for some time.”
> 
> “Okay,” he looks confused, and he’s frowning at her in that sexy way of his. He probably doesn’t even realize what that look does to her, but she feels the desire building within her, a desire for him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Smut incoming! :D

“You know, you don’t _have_ to carry my shopping,” Sonia tells Leon with a giggle as they walk through the streets of Motostoke towards the train station.

“I know,” he says with a warm smile, “I want to.”

She doesn’t say anything more to that, because admittedly deep down she’s enjoying this positive attention and wants to revel in this for as long as she can. Whatever conversation he’s had with his mother seems to have done the trick because since that day two weeks ago he’s been almost doting on her whenever they were together.

Once they’d clarified with the police that they no longer needed to gain evidence from the door, Leon had repainted it while she and Hop did their daily work (though he asked if perhaps she’d like to take the day off so she didn’t inhale so many paint fumes). He’s been carrying her shopping or anything else that’s heavy for her whenever he’s around and when he’s not he calls her every day to ask her how she is and if she needs anything. He’s even taken some mild interest in the twins, even to the point of insisting he’ll come to the twenty week scan in two weeks time, and it’s something that fills her with relief.

They’ve gotten a lot closer too. She definitely sees him for what he is to her now – he’s her boyfriend, not just her friend who she happens to have a crush on. He also isn’t holding back with her anywhere near as much as he had been. They’ve shared quite a few cheeky snogs in the privacy of his flat, he holds her a lot more and he’s even stroked her belly a couple of times, albeit shyly like he expects something to burst out of it. They still haven’t had sex yet but she’s feeling more confident that they’ll get there, given how heated some of their snogging sessions have gotten.

If only the twat that vandalized her lab door didn’t get away with it. The police had chased up all the lines of enquiries – tracked down each and every follower Sordward and Shielbert had and questioned them all thoroughly and the police had even said they'd had a chat with Oleana. Nothing turned up, to her disappointment, so the police had closed the case. The police’s reasoning was that whoever had done it purely did so to put a fright into her and Hop for a joke and they stated that with stretched resources they needed to focus on more severe crimes. Nobody was happy about it and they doubted it was what the police thought so Sonia had asked Leon and Gloria to keep their ears to the ground and they’d passed messages onto the Gym Leaders to do the same. Nessa in particular had been concerned and Sonia ended up spending nearly a solid hour on the phone to her going through everything she remembered from that day.

There was also the matter of the press, who had cottoned on about her pregnancy, so she’s had no end of paparazzi nuisances plonking themselves on her doorstep both at home and at the lab with questions regarding the paternity of her child. She did come clean and tell them it’s Leon’s, purely so they didn’t start releasing crap about how she’s either cheating or something equally defamatory, but it doesn’t stop some of the nastier rags implying that Leon’s only with her because of her babies, something he’s thankfully (and repeatedly) made plain is not the case. She doesn’t want to go back to feeling like she’s not good enough, thank you very much.

Still, she’s not going to think about that now. She’s determined that none of the bad stuff will take her current content state of mind away from her, not when Leon’s with her. She doesn’t get enough time with him as it is, so she wants to treasure the moments when she does rather than dwell on unpleasant things.

Their original plans in Motostoke have been somewhat unsuccessful. They had heard Oleana was doing community work at the mines so they thought they’d go and ask a few questions themselves but there was no sign of her when they went to investigate. But at least they managed to have a lovely lunch together and she even got to buy herself some maternity clothes. Her regular clothes are definitely starting to get a bit too tight now so she imagines it’ll only be a matter of time before she needs to wear something a little bit bigger.

The train journey back is thankfully short. She’s able to rest her head against his shoulder while he wraps his arm around her, pressing her into his side. Had the journey been longer she might have fallen asleep there. He does press a kiss on her forehead though and she feels warmth spread through her body. When they’re back in Wedgehurst he continues to carry her shopping back home, despite her feeble insistence that she’s more than capable.

Eventually they’re back at her house (well, her grandparents’, really) and after letting them in she calls out for her grandparents, to no reply. She frowns for a moment but then she remembers something that they’d told her that morning and her lips curve upwards instead, “Oh yeah, they must still be at the market.”

“Perhaps,” he mumbles and he holds up her shopping bags, “Where did you want these?”

“I’ll take them upstairs in a bit,” she waves a hand nonchalantly, “Do you want a cuppa before you have to go back to Wyndon?”

“Can’t say no to that,” he grins as he puts the shopping bags down in a corner out of the way, “Got any biscuits?”

She laughs, “Haven’t you stuffed your face enough at lunch?”

“Hey, it’ll be a long journey back. Might as well make sure I’m prepared.”

“You hoover,” she giggles at him, but she pulls out the biscuit tin anyway, which are filled with custard creams, bourbons and digestives before she sets about making cups of tea for them both. He doesn’t hesitate to slip a hand into the tin to help himself to a couple of custard creams.

“It’s only a couple of biscuits, I’ll work them off later,” he says with a cheeky grin, popping a biscuit into his mouth.

“Oh, I’m _sure_ you will,” she winks at him before turning back to the kettle, fighting back the urge to remark on his slightly flustered-looking appearance. She’s well aware that he’s been masturbating over her since he’d admitted it the day after the vandalism incident with red cheeked embarrassment after the subject had somehow come up while she was flirting. She didn’t see why he would have been embarrassed about it – really she was quite flattered. Heck, she’s even done it a couple of times herself after they shared that intense heated moment outside of her front door.

She finishes the tea and hands a cup to him before they both go into the living room and curl up on the sofa. Their teas sit on the small coffee table in front of them while she leans back into his side and he wraps an arm back around her shoulder again. She wishes they could do this everyday and that they didn’t have to endure the huge distance between their homes.

“Shame about Oleana,” he says, stroking her arm gently, “But maybe she’ll be there another time. Apparently she _is_ at the mines most of the time nowadays.”

“Mm,” she takes a sip of her tea, “What kind of community work does she do in the mines? Do you know?”

He shakes his head slightly and his hair tickles her face, “Not really, no. Something to do with Rose, I think. He used to work in the mines before he made it big so it’s probably got some kind of sentimental value to him.”

“I find it hard to believe that man feels sentimental about anything,” she grumbles and she notices Leon turn to quirk a brow at her.

“You _really_ hate him, don’t you?”

“Hate’s a bit of a strong word,” she rubs her chin thoughtfully, “I just wouldn’t piss on him if he was on fire.”

Leon winces, “Ouch.”

“I used to think he was a genuinely nice guy,” she says darkly, leaning forward to have some of her tea, “He invited me out to lunch one time at the seafood restaurant in Hulbury, around the time Hop and Gloria were going for their Gym Badges there. He was really nice. I actually almost felt bad for all the time I’ve spent resenting him, you know, for keeping you so busy. But then I started hearing things, and then the Darkest Day happened… and… well, you know.”

He squeezes her against him, “I won’t lie, he wasn’t all _that_ bad. Not to me, anyway. He kept me busy and he stopped me from doing some things I wanted to but… I don’t know, he never really made me do anything I _really didn’t_ want to do either, if you know what I mean? Well, not until Eternatus came about anyway.”

She scowls at him, “Do you _have_ to defend him like you’re some kind of apologist?”

“I’m not, just calling it as I see it,” he quickly says, his free hand running through his hair, “I know he put a stop to me exploring some things I would have liked to and some other stuff before everything went tits up, and I really do resent him for that. And… I know he put a lot of others through absolute hell. Like Piers. So I’m not denying he’s a tosser of the worst variety.”

Sonia’s scowl slips away and she feels a little less bitter, “I reckon Piers saw through him before anyone else. But… none of us wanted to believe him.”

“I know… I feel bad about that,” Leon’s arm tenses around her shoulders, and she decides that this subject has long run it’s course. She doesn’t want him to start feeling bad about events that have long past. Rose is where he belongs in a prison cell, and Spikemuth is starting to flourish without betraying its history and Piers’ principles (though from what she’s heard from Gloria, his little sister is totally on board with utilising dynamaxing and is trying to work on a compromise).

She glances up at him with a smile and kisses his cheek, “Can we stop talking about Rose? It’s killing my mood.”

He chuckles softly, “Alright. What _do_ you want to talk about, professor?”

“I don’t know, maybe you could tell me what you needed to talk to your mum about a couple of weeks back?” she gives a side-eyed glance and notices he’s looking a little uncomfortable, and she quickly regrets asking.

“Like I said, nothing important. Just… stuff about my dad, that’s all.”

“Oh,” she doesn’t broach the subject again. He’ll talk about it when he’s ready to talk about it. His dad has always been a sore spot for him and she learnt quickly as a child that it’s not a subject he’s keen on. She doesn’t know much – just that the man had left a year before she moved to Wedgehurst and met Leon. Nobody really spoke about him. Heck, Hop didn’t even _know_ the bloke and had once told her that he didn’t particularly care to know about him. Sometimes she wonders if he was abusive. She hopes that wasn’t the case. She cannot bear to think of Leon as a kid being treated badly, but it would explain why he’s been so anxious about becoming a parent himself.

“Sorry,” she whispers to him, gently tilting her head against the hand on her shoulder and kissing it softly, “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

“It’s not that,” he sighs, “It’s just… I don’t want to upset you. And it’s done anyway. It’s in the past. I’m over it.”

She presses her head back into his neck, “I know. But if you ever want to talk about it, don’t worry about worrying me. I want to be there for you. Like you’re there for me.”

“Thanks,” he says and he rests his head against hers with a soft smile on his face.

 _I love you._ She opens her mouth and closes it again because she can feel the words on the tip of her tongue but she doesn’t know if it’s too early for her to be saying them. She’s thought about it and she’s almost completely certain now that this _is_ love, this intense feeling she has for him that makes her want to shield him from anything that could hurt him and take on all of his burdens. It’s strange, because they’ve known each other for so long and yet it’s taken this long for these emotions to bubble to the surface to make her aware of them. She feels like an idiot because she could have had this so much sooner, they could have had more time to explore and relearn about each other. But at least she’s got him now so she’ll gratefully accept that.

She glances up at him and she finds that he’s looking at her with a strange, almost longing look in his eyes and she’s not sure why but she feels a shiver travel up her back, “What? Do I have something on my face?”

“No,” he says softly, and he hesitates a little before continuing, “Just… you’ve definitely gotten bigger.”

She pouts at him, “Is that your way of calling me fat?”

“No, no! I didn’t mean your belly! I meant your-” he uses his free hand to gesture towards his chest, miming a curve which can only mean he’s talking about…

“My boobs? You can say what they are, you know,” she quips saucily and he flushes, “Normal thing apparently. Does it bother you?”

“No, not at all!” he blurts out and he seems to be determined not to look at her while his cheeks flush a deeper shade of red and he continues to ramble, “They’re nice. Not that they weren’t nice before but-”

“Okay dandelion, don’t get your knickers in a twist,” she giggles, grabbing his chin to make him look at her, “I get it.”

He breathes a sigh of relief before he leans his head back against hers. Sonia can’t help but remember that this isn’t the first time he’s looked at her in that intense longing way. Pretty much every single time they’ve broken apart after a snogging session he’s had that look on his face. It’s the same look he had on his face _that_ night, if she recalls correctly. Like he’s eating her with his eyes.

Like he _wants_ her.

Then it hits her like a tidal wave.

_He’s horny. I can’t believe it. He’s **actually** horny. _

She chances a glance downwards into his lap to see if her theory is correct, but she can’t tell, not when he’s wearing jeans. The only way she could be absolutely sure is if she leaned down and felt there, but she doesn’t want to frighten him off. But if he is horny, maybe he wouldn’t object to her doing just that… _no, control yourself Sonia. There are other ways to be sure._

“I don’t know how long my grandparents are going to be gone for,” she begins slowly, trying to sound reasonably normal, “They might be out for some time.”

“Okay,” he looks confused, and he’s frowning at her in that sexy way of his. He probably doesn’t even realize what that look does to her, but she feels the desire building within her, a desire for _him._

She swallows her nerves down, “I’m just saying that… you know… if you were up for having a little bit of fun we could…?”

His mouth hangs open slightly, looking uncertain, “Oh. I see.”

His reaction isn’t what she expected, so she hesitantly blurts out, “But only if you want to. If you don’t then-”

“I do,” he says and he’s looking at her with such sincerity and desire, “You have _no idea_ how much I want to.”

She senses there might be more to this, “But?”

He licks his lips, removes his arm from around her and leans forward, clasping his hands together in his lap, “Nothing really. I’m just… nervous, I guess. We haven’t done this since Nessa’s birthday and… are you _quite_ sure it won’t hurt the twins?”

She places a hand over his clasped ones and smiles at him gently, “Yes. Lina – that’s my midwife – she said it’s fine. I told you, remember? If anything she _encouraged_ it.”

“I do remember, just…” he shrugs, “I don’t know. Maybe it’s just me being stupid. I mean, you’ve _said_ it’s safe.”

“You’re not stupid,” she says gently, “You might do stupid _things_ sometimes, but I’ve gotten used to that. Look… if you really do want to then maybe we could just… take it slowly? Make it up as we go along?”

“Okay,” he replies in a quiet, shy voice. He is smiling and he does seem to be genuinely interested in her offer even if there are some nerves bundled in attempting to hinder him, “But not here.”

“Oh?” she raises an eyebrow at him.

“In your room. That way if your grandparents come back they don’t have to see their granddaughter all naked and having sex.”

“Oh, you want me all _naked_ do you?” she’s teasing him now but he doesn’t seem to mind as much so she’s feeling a lot more confident about it.

“If that’s okay with you,” he whispers, and it’s taking everything she has to not throw herself at him right now. A good snogging session would get her going anyway, but he does have a good point – she doesn’t fancy the thought of her Gran coming home to find them in a compromising position because she’ll no doubt have to put up with a lecture about it, as will he. So she quickly downs the rest of her tea and grabs his hand, yanks him to his feet and leads him towards the stairs.

“Hold on,” he says, and he bends down to pick up her shopping, “May as well carry this up while I’m here.”

“You don’t need to – it probably doesn’t even weigh that much!”

“You’d be quite surprised. Anyway, I don’t mind.”

She doesn’t argue with him. She leads the way upstairs and through the hallway into her room while he follows with her shopping. Once they’re both inside she closes the door while he puts the shopping under her dressing table, and then they turn to each other. He’s still nervous, she can clearly see that, so she can see that she’s going to need to be the one that instigates, at least this time around. She doesn’t mind though.

“So…” he begins, clearly not knowing where to start, which is a far cry from the last time when he was more confident (even if she recalls he tried to express concerns initially).

She bites her lip but she eventually takes a deep breath because they’re not going to get anywhere if one of them doesn’t go for it, “Come here,” she orders firmly, pointing to the floor directly in front of her.

He seems to like that as he visibly shivers before tentatively walking towards her. He slowly curls his arms around her waist and presses his forehead against hers. She doesn’t hesitate to press her lips to his, gently at first but gradually becoming a little firmer while she allows her fingers to gently stroke their way up his arms. He doesn’t stop her, rather he pulls her closer to him and licks at her lips. _That’s it, that’s more like it._ She opens her mouth to grant him access, her tongue entering his mouth while her hands find their way into his hair, gently running through this time so that she doesn’t catch him off guard with any potential tangles.

His hands glide downwards towards her bottom and she lets out a sigh as he begins to give her bum cheeks a little squeeze. He’s certainly starting to be more forward and she cannot get enough of it. Her hands find their way out of his hair, beginning to glide back downwards again, and she pulls away from him slightly so she can grab the bottom of her shirt and lift it over her head. His eyes are on her chest again, and while it may well have bothered her if it had been anybody else or at any other time, this time she feels a thrill passing through her, “Do you like what you see?” she asks, barely speaking above a whisper.

“Mm-hmm,” he murmurs as he closes in on her again. This time though he doesn’t capture her lips, rather he buries his head in her neck and she lets out a sharp gasp as he starts to gently suck and nip on her skin while his fingers caress her back until they find the clip of her bra, and they proceed to fumble around trying to undo it, which he manages quicker than she thought he might.

She doesn’t think she’ll need much in the way of warming up at this rate. Her fingers wrap around the fabric of his shirt and after gently nudging him backwards she helps him take it off and absorbs his hard, muscular chest. It looks better than she remembers and she cannot resist running her hands over it, allowing her thumbs to slowly rub across his nipples which causes him to whine softly. His beautiful golden eyes are looking at her like he wants to eat her again, and she feels a familiar desire embrace her between her legs which makes her firmly press herself up against him again to recapture his lips. Her hands make their way downwards past the belt on his jeans and he groans into her mouth as she finds what she’s been looking for, even if it isn’t the easiest thing to find through such firm jeans.

She pulls away again to regard him, “Wow, you’re _really_ hard.”

“Don’t tease me Son,” he gulps, moving closer to her again to try and capture another kiss while also pushing his hips against her hand, “Please.”

“Not so nervous any more, huh?”

“If you keep going like this I won’t be.”

“Good,” she pecks his lips again before she glances down and begins to slowly unbuckle his belt, and judging by how he’s shifting his hips towards her he’s getting impatient, which sends another surge of desire for him through her. Eventually the belt is loosened and she pulls it away, running her fingers across the hem of his jeans, at which point his hands promptly find hers and helps them to yank his trousers down. She can’t help but feel amused.

“Impatient, aren’t we?”

“Well, your Gran will be back soon,” he says shakily, and she can see now just how hard he is through his boxers.

“ _Really?_ Did you have to bring Gran up _now?_ ”

“Sorry.”

“Oh, you _will_ be,” she whispers before slowly running the tips of her fingers across his boxers. She slowly puts a hand in them and grabs his cock in her hands, giving it a little squeeze. She feels it throbbing as he lets out a small moan and bucks his hips against her, so she gently strokes it, rubbing him up and down while relishing in every soft moan and jerk of his hips. His hands grab his boxers and yank them down to where his jeans are, and he has to wiggle both items of clothing off of his feet. Now he’s naked before her and yeah he’s just as hot, if not hotter, than she remembers.

She feels daring so she grabs his face and kisses him fiercely, taking him by surprise, while pushing him backwards until they reach her bed and he lands on her soft pink duvet. She thinks about climbing on his lap, but there’s something else she considers – something she hopes will help remove any remaining nerves he has. She gets down onto her knees and slowly, hesitantly, presses a kiss to his cock which makes him inhale sharply in surprise. She’s not sure if that’s a positive sign but she reasons that if he doesn’t want this he’ll ask for her to stop, so she kisses it again, then runs her tongue along its length before engulfing it completely in her mouth.

She’s not sure if she’s doing this right – she’s never done anything like this before – but she’s reassured when he lets out a loud groan as his hips buck up into her mouth, which almost catches her off guard. He’s evidently enjoying this as she can feel one of his hands rest on her head, his thumb stroking her hair while she sucks and licks at him. She feels heat building between her own legs and she’s honestly surprised that _she’s_ enjoying this as well but she reasons that a big part of that is because she loves feeling and hearing him losing his mind over what she’s doing, knowing that _she’s_ the one causing it all.

She doesn’t particularly want him to reach his peak in her mouth though – she still doesn’t feel comfortable about him offloading _there_ – so after another minute or so she releases him. He’s panting and the hand that isn’t in her hair is gripping her duvet pretty tightly. She feels proud of herself.

“That was-”

“Did the prostitutes never do that?”

“No, not really. I just kind of wanted it over and done with a lot of the time.”

She grins smugly, “Oh. So this is a first that’s all mine.”

“Did you do that to-?”

“No.”

“A first for both of us then,” he licks his lips and she shivers in delight, “It was good. _Really_ good. _Definitely_ won’t object if you ever decide to do that again.”

“Glad to hear it,” she whispers, fluttering her eyelashes at her before pulling herself upwards and sitting on his lap, just shy of his cock. She leans forward and kisses him again, and it doesn’t occur to her until he’s already opening his mouth again that she’s sharing his own taste with him. Sort of.

She pushes him onto her bed until he’s lying flat on his back while his hands slide up to her hips again, teasing the hem of her own trousers. His eyes meet hers and she nods slightly, so he gently pulls her trousers and knickers down in one go, watching with desire as her legs are exposed to him. She lifts herself off of him slightly – just enough to remove the rest of her clothing – before she sits back on him again, and he lets out a small whine of complaint because she’s _so_ close to him but not close enough.

His hands grab at her bottom again while his eyes gaze at her thoughtfully, “Can I return the favour?”

“I don’t know, can you?”

“Let me up.”

She gets off of him and he sits up, twists around and gently urges her down onto her back. He presses a gentle kiss to her lips before moving downwards slowly, kissing her neck, then her breasts (but not the nipples, as she insists that they’re still sensitive). Then he kisses her belly twice and she feels warmth pass through her because even if his intention is solely to be intimate with her, it feels like it’s also a way of him telling her that he’s accepting the twins and that he cares for them as much as he cares for her.

One thing is for certain – he doesn’t seem to be nervous any more.

Then he’s kissing near her naval and she lets out another shiver. She wonders if this is what Lina was talking about when she says other women rate sex during pregnancy highly. She _does_ feel more sensitive and when he eventually finds her centre she lets out a gasp as he doesn’t just kiss it – he slips his tongue inside.

“Oh!” she squeaks, and he pulls back slightly, looking concerned.

“Sorry, are you okay with this? I can stop if you like.”

“N-no, you just caught me off guard. Please… carry on…”

So he does, his tongue dipping back inside of her and she lets out a shuddering sigh while her fingers seek out his hair again, pulling him closer to her so that he can probably go deeper. She’s enjoying this more than she ever thought she would. She vaguely remembers him kissing her there last time but he never did anything like _this_. After a minute or so of this treatment, he pulls his head back slightly and she feels one of his hands gently caressing her thigh, gliding upwards until he eventually reaches his target and slips a finger inside of her. She can’t hold back moans and gasps of his name as he gently pushes his finger in and out of her, occasionally running his tongue along her hole where his finger is. Then he pushes a _second_ finger in.

She doesn’t know if she’s going to last much longer if he carries on like this and if she’s going to cum, she wants to cum with him properly inside of her while she looks into his eyes. So she manages to gasp out, “I want you in me properly.”

He pulls out his fingers and looks up at her with big eyes and a cheeky grin, “Well, I think I can manage that but… are you sure?”

“If I wasn’t sure I wouldn’t be asking.”

“Right. Stupid question,” he mumbles as he makes his way up to her and begins to press his cock against her entrance. She can feel the desire emanating through her as he slowly pushes into her and he lets out a hiss of delight because of how tight she is. Once he’s in he pauses and she finds herself jerking her hips upwards in an attempt to spur him on.

“It seems patience isn’t your strong suit either,” he remarks saucily and she growls in reply, slapping his arse cheek.

“Come _on_ ,” she whines, “Don’t tease me.”

“So you want me to do _this?_ ” he rolls his hips into hers and she lets out a needy moan in reply. He leans down, his hair tickling her cheeks and his breath hot against her neck as he whispers, “I can’t hear you, Son.”

“So much for being nervous you cheeky bastard,” she pants, feeling a little annoyed with him. Of all the times to decide to mess with her, why _now_ , when she’s so desperate for him? And wasn’t _he_ the one who said her grandparents would be back soon?

He pulls back, looking at her gently and her annoyance with him is almost forgotten, “Yeah, well, I trust you.”

He gently starts to thrust into her, slowly at first and she wants to moan at him to speed up a little because _Arceus he’s killing her_ but it’s almost like he can read her mind because he gradually picks up speed and now she can really see what Lina was talking about. This really does feel incredible, and her higher sensitivity is making her go insane in the best way possible. It seems to be the same for him as his soft moans of her name seem to be gradually getting louder, and she loves every second of it. It fills her with a thrill to know that he’s _hers_. Nobody else is going to take him from her, not if she has anything to say about it.

“Sonia, I- I’m close…” he gasps and she’s not surprised given how tightly his hands are gripping her hips. Luckily she’s pretty close too, but it doesn’t stop her from begging him to hold on, just for another minute because after all of their fooling around she needs a release as much as he does.

It doesn’t take long. She cries out his name as she finally reaches her peak and he softly rocks his hips against hers until she’s through it before he speeds up again, burying his head into her neck and gushing her name until he reaches his release himself with a loud groan, pressing his cock deeply into her so that she receives everything he has. They stay like that for a moment before he pulls himself back slightly to look into her eyes and she feels her heart swell with affection for him, so much so that she can’t resist leaning up slightly to press her lips to his again. He tastes salty. Of course, that’s _her_ taste. She’d forgotten all about that.

He pulls out and rolls next to her, still panting slightly, then he leans over and curls an arm over her, closing his eyes. She wants to make a quip about how he’s worked off those biscuits but she decides against it.

“You can’t stay here, you know,” she warns him cheekily, stroking his arm, “My grandparents will be back soon, remember?”

“I know,” he murmurs without opening his eyes, “Just give me a minute.”

She can’t deny his request, especially when truth be told she wants nothing more than for them to stay like this, basking in their afterglow while he holds her against him and she listens to his heart beating. She doesn’t think she’s ever resented the fact that they live so far apart more than now. _Perhaps it’ll be fine,_ she thinks as she allows herself to relax and her eyes begin to close, her body snuggling into his so she can feel more of his warmth.

He mumbles something incoherent and she opens her eyes to frown at him, “I’m sorry, what was that?”

“You heard,” he sighs softly, a warm smile on his lips.

“I really didn’t.”

His brows furrow, “You didn’t?”

“No.”

“Oh. Well… in that case, don’t worry about it.”

“Oh _no_ mister, I’m curious now,” she waggles her fingers in front of him – a clear threat that she remembers that he’s ticklish and will not hesitate to make use of that knowledge to get what she wants, “What did you say?”

“You really want to know?” he asks, raising an eyebrow, clearly not impressed by her tickle threat.

“Yeah, so if I were you I’d start talking before the Tickle family come and claim you,” she waggles her fingers again.

“Fine,” he pauses to take a deep breath and he looks almost hesitant, “I said… I mean, I don’t want you to think this is the afterglow talking because I’ve been thinking it for a while now but… I love you, Sonia.”

She can’t believe it. _He loves me? But wait, it **could** just be the afterglow. Couldn’t it? _

“Do you mean that? Because I swear if you’re taking the piss-” she asks him shakily, because she doesn’t think her heart can take it if it turns out he’s messing with her, but to her relief he nods sincerely.

“Yeah. I meant it. Every word.”

She wants to cry. She _does_ cry but these are happy tears because now that she’s heard him say it she feels more and more sure that yes, she _does_ feel the same for him and it doesn’t feel strange to her, not any more. _He loves me. He really loves me._

He chuckles and runs a hand through her red hair gently, “Hey, it’s not all _that_ bad.”

“I’m not – you cheeky _sod!”_ she sobs, “Do you have to keep catching me off guard like this?”

“I’m sorry,” he pulls her closer to him and kisses her shoulder, “I thought you liked a bit of unpredictability.”

“I _do_ sometimes but – bloody _hell,_ Leon,” she wipes her eyes furiously, “That’s quite a thing to say to someone.”

He pulls back slightly and he looks almost disappointed, “So you don’t feel the same?”

“I do actually,” she blurts out, grabbing his arms and yanking him back to her, “I just didn’t know when the right time to say it was. But I _do_ love you, Leon Hayes. I have done for a long time.”

He smiles at her and she could almost swear that his eyes are moistening. He does laugh though and presses his lips firmly against hers before pulling back to gaze into her eyes again, “Really?”

“Really.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for the support! They're definitely getting there now. Also, just because the police have dropped the vandalism case doesn't mean it's over. ;)


	13. Impatience

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Everything is developing as it should,” Dr. Kamishiro mumbles as she gently moves the probe around to find the other baby, “This little one looks healthy. Did you want pictures again?”
> 
> “Yes, please. Also…” she pauses, biting her lip in hesitation before she carries on, “I read online that it’s possible I could find out what I’m having?”

Leon waits outside of Wyndon train station, fiddling with his phone in an effort to keep his fingers busy. He knows he probably looks ridiculous but he really doesn’t care all that much, because Sonia is coming up and when he knows she’s coming it’s usually the only thing he can think of. Granted, there’s a little extra playing on his mind today, but that’s probably not all that surprising given that today is her twenty-week scan. He still couldn’t believe she’d booked the appointment in Wyndon again just to make sure he could come to the scan. Motostoke would have been easier to get to for her.

It’d been a bombshell when she’d dropped that one on him. He hadn’t been sure of what to think about it. He _still_ isn’t sure what to think about it. He’s not sure if he’s ready to actually see and hear the twins because he’s not sure how he’s going to feel when he does. Still, he swore he’d put her first and this might be the only chance he’ll get to see them. It seems to mean a lot to Sonia that he sees them so he’ll try and put his nerves aside.

It’s been two weeks since their romp in Sonia’s bedroom and he likes to think he’s gotten better at not being so much of a distant dick. He feels more affectionate towards her, and it’s a huge weight off of his shoulders to not feel like he has to hold back on her because _damn_ the woman is amazing and she deserves only the best from him. The snogs are fantastic, the sex is even better and every time she says she loves him (as she has many times since two weeks ago) he feels so insanely grateful that this beautiful woman is _his._

So he’s sure he’ll love the twins, because they are partly made up of her and he loves her, doesn’t he? It’s logical, surely. _Arceus, now I’m starting to think like her._

When it turns nine o’clock he enters the train station and takes a seat inside. He’s already had to sign a few autographs and trainer cards for a few devoted fans of his that happen to be visiting the city and his wrist is starting to ache a little bit. Not that the train station would be much more private than outside but at least it’s a change of scenery. Eventually he catches a glimpse of red hair and after skimming through the crowd with his eyes he finally sees her and she’s waving at him eagerly. He gets up, stuffs his phone back into his pocket and goes over to greet her, not hesitating to press a soft kiss to her cheek, “Hey.”

“Hey, you,” she teases, grabbing his chin and pressing a quick kiss to his lips which seems to get some bystanders staring, “Are you worried about the press or something?”

“No, just want to be respectful,” he says with a casual shrug, “How was your trip?”

“It was alright,” she says, pulling away to search through her bag, “Would have been nice if I could’ve caught a Flying Taxi but… well, you know.”

“Yeah,” he nods before taking her hand and smiling at her cheekily, “But hey, it’s the prime season for tourism around here! Not their fault that they’re all booked up.”

“Still would have liked the extra hour in bed,” she grumbles as she pulls out a letter from the hospital to make a note of her appointment time.

“So you _weren’t_ super excited to see me?” he pretends to pout, which she picks up on as she giggles and gives him a light slap to his upper arm before putting the letter back in her bag.

“Don’t be a twat, you _know_ I was. I just value my beauty sleep.”

“So you’re saying you love sleep more than you love me?”

“Now you’re getting it,” she teases, linking her arm with his, “So… before we head out, could I pop into the shops and grab a sandwich or something? There wasn’t anything on the train I fancied.”

He glances upwards at the train station’s clock before looking back at her, “What time is your appointment?”

“Half past ten.”

“Then how about I treat you to breakfast?”

She smiles slyly, “Are you talking about food or-”

“Food,” he laughs, “Head out of the gutter, Son. Though maybe if we have time I can treat you to both.”

She licks her lips and he finds he has to fight the urge to drag her back to his flat and give her a good seeing to instead of taking her out to eat, “Now how can I say no to that?”

* * *

Breakfast takes them a lot longer than they would have liked, mainly because there are so many tourists out and about even at this time of morning, and the café's orders are backed up to seemingly no end. He’s almost tempted to take her back to his for breakfast (of both varieties) but he only has cornflakes in and she deserves better than that. They stick around and have a fully cooked breakfast each and it’s almost worth it on its own. By the time they’ve eaten it’s ten o’clock and Sonia notes that they really should get down to the hospital. So it looks like sex is going to have to take a back seat until after the hospital appointment at least. Not that he minds that much.

Truth be told, he’s still nervous, and not solely about getting his first real look at the twins. Granted, he loves being challenged and pushing through those challenges but this is unlike anything he’s ever faced before. He’s knows he’s going to have eyes on him in there and Sonia… well, he hopes she’ll be okay with it and not take it personally. Though with that being said, she’s been doing pretty well so far what with the paparazzi harassing her ever since it’s been confirmed that the babies she’s carrying are his.

When they’re outside of the hospital, she grabs his hand and gives it a squeeze, “Come on, it’s only a hospital. You’ve been in one before.”

“Yeah,” he sighs, “But that was in Hammerlocke and it wasn’t a maternity unit.”

“I’m sure intensive care was _much_ more preferable.”

“Well, when you put it like that…”

“What are you worried about?” she smiles cheekily at him, “That someone in there will try and jump your bones or that the twins will burst out of me like a scene from a horror film?”

“Both,” he jokes half-heartedly and she laughs, giving his hand another reassuring squeeze.

“Don’t worry, no other person’s laying a hand on you while I’m there and the twins will stay put if they know what’s good for them. I think you’ll be fine.”

“Well, I know _I_ sure wouldn’t want to mess with you,” he chuckles as she drags him inside straight to the lift near the back of the room. He’s still nervous but she’s here with him and her hand curled around his is helping him remain calm and level-headed.

He gets a few looks when they finally enter the waiting room for the unit where Sonia needs to go. A few women’s jaws seem to hit the floor and for once he wishes he wasn’t as famous as he is. They don’t seem to flirt with him, probably because Sonia’s giving anybody who looks like they might be thinking of it the evil eyes. He does get a few blokes come up to him though, asking him for autographs and the like. Out of politeness and to take his mind off of what was to come, he asks them if they’re expecting their first and, if it wasn’t their first, what they could expect. Sometimes it’s good to remind people that he’s really no different from them, as it’s all too easy for people to set him up on a pedestal and treat him differently because of his celebrity status. It also helps remind him that he’s not the first person to experience this, and to hear some of the other first time dads-to-be tell him they’re scared shitless too makes him feel a bit better about it.

He’s surprised Sonia hasn’t gone to one of those group meet-ups communities always seem to have for pregnant women, now that he thinks about it. She’s always been friendly (usually) and up for a good chat. Perhaps she’s been too busy with her work. Or perhaps she’s just more comfortable staying within her social circle. Whatever her reasoning, it’s her choice and he won’t push something on her that she might not want to do. After all, supporting her is what he’s here for, right?

They’re eventually called in by a blonde woman who seems to smile widely at Sonia in recognition, “Ah, hello there! I was hoping I’d get to see you again, professor.”

“Dr. Kamishiro, right? Sorry, I’m getting awful with remembering things,” Sonia rubs her temples and Leon has to swallow down a snort because she’s not wrong – Sonia is getting more and more scatter-brained by the day if his calls to her and their weekends together are any indication. Just the other day when they were chatting on the phone she referred to the telly remote as ‘the thing that makes the pictures change’ and he’d nearly pissed himself laughing.

“Yes, of course, _completely_ understandable,” the sonographer shakes Sonia’s hand before turning to Leon, her face lighting up even further, “And former Champion Leon! I hope you don’t mind me saying but myself and my son are such fans of yours!”

“Thanks,” he grins and he thinks that this could be his old training in dealing with the public kicking in and it’s like he’s talking to any old fan… at least until Sonia pipes up, “Don’t let it go to your head, love,” and he’s reminded of where he is.

Dr. Kamishiro chuckles lightly before taking Sonia’s notes from her and sifting through them briefly, “So how has it been going?”

“Yeah, it’s been fine,” Sonia replies while running a hand through her ponytail, “No more morning sickness, thank Arceus.”

“That’s good,” she taps a few things onto her computer and pulls up some details, “Have you felt any movement yet?”

Sonia frowns, looking slightly concerned, “No, I don’t think so … should I have?”

“Not necessarily. It can start happening anywhere between eighteen and twenty weeks.”

“So it should have happened by now,” she’s licking her lips in concern, “I don’t know what it feels like. How will I know?”

“I’ve heard it be described as feeling a little bit like a fluttering, and I’d say that’s an accurate description. A lot of first time mothers don’t recognize it for what it is right away and that’s completely normal. Don’t worry too much, I’m sure you’ll start noticing them soon,” she smiles broadly at her while gesturing to the tilted seat in the centre of the room, “Anyway, let’s take a look.”

She sits on the seat and he watches as she pulls up her shirt and tucks it underneath her bra while pulling her trousers down to her hips, leaning back. He fights back a shudder of desire because his mind can’t help but think of how much he wants to take those clothes off of her completely. He shakes his head; now isn’t the time. They had plenty of time for _that_ later, if they’re in the mood for it. Some gel is squeezed on Sonia’s belly and she’s looking at him now rather cheekily as if she _knows_ what’s running through his mind right now but thankfully she doesn’t say anything.

The doctor presses a probe against her belly firmly and he hears a strange whirring noise, closely followed by what sounds like a fairly quick beating sound. Sonia squeezes his hand and points at the computer screen facing them and he squints, not completely able to make out what he’s looking at until Dr. Kamishiro moves the probe slightly. It’s a little bit clearer now – definitely a baby’s head. Sonia’s looking at him like she’s expecting him to say something, but he honestly doesn’t know what to say or even feel.

“Everything is developing as it should,” Dr. Kamishiro mumbles as she gently moves the probe around to find the other baby, “This little one looks healthy. Did you want pictures again?”

“Yes, please. Also…” she pauses, biting her lip in hesitation before she carries on, “I read online that it’s possible I could find out what I’m having?”

Dr. Kamishiro doesn’t seem to look all that surprised (Leon assumes she probably gets loads of women asking), “Oh, are you interested? I can certainly have a look for you if you are, though I must warn you that there is always a chance we could be wrong.”

“How often do you get it wrong?”

“Not all that often, I’m pretty good at knowing what to look for. It just depends on whether your babies are in the right position,” the doctor smiles, “So I assume you want to know?”

“Well,” Sonia turns to face him and gives his hand another squeeze, “It’s up to you. If you don’t want to know, then I won’t but… I just thought it might help us. To know in advance.”

He can’t resist grinning at her again, “More like you’re being impatient.”

“Like _you_ aren’t normally impatient over things?” she replies quick as a whip, but he knows that by her cheeky little smirk that she’s not saying that in a hurtful way.

“You got me there,” he sighs and squeezes her hand back, “It’s up to you. You’re the one doing the heavy lifting and all that. I’m good either way.”

“You _would_ leave it up to me,” she pouts at him before turning back to the doctor, “Go on, then. I’ve got to admit… it’s killing me not knowing.”

“I’ll just finish checking them over and then I’ll let you know what I think,” the doctor says before getting back to moving the probe around and making notes on what she sees. Leon still finds himself squinting at the screen from time to time, trying to figure out what he’s seeing. He almost feels bad about it until he looks at Sonia and catches her doing the same thing – she’s as clueless as he is. That is, unless they’re looking at a face. That’s pretty easy to distinguish from everything else when the baby they’re looking at is lying on its back.

“Okay, both babies seem to be doing just fine,” Dr. Kamishiro says, “No sign of any rare complications or conditions, and both placentas seem to be in a nice high position as well which is all good. Are you quite sure you want to know what you’re having?”

“Do you know?”

“I’m reasonably sure,” she replies, “One of them was initially in an awkward position, but luckily for you they shifted just enough to give me a good look and the other one… well, let’s just say I think you’ve got a little exhibitionist.”

“Oh,” Sonia giggles with a flush, “Then…” she turns to Leon again, “Are you sure this is okay?”

He nods, “Go for it.”

Sonia nods back and the doctor smiles, “Well, then. Both of your babies have these sort of lines,” she moves the probe to a certain area and points at the screen, presumably thinking showing them would make it easier to explain, “See, that’s their genitalia, right there. These lines tell me that you are having two little girls.”

Sonia inhales sharply and her eyes are beginning to well up slightly, “Girls?”

“Yes, both of them. I’m around ninety-five percent sure.”

“We’re having _girls_ ,” she whispers, turning to face him and it’s clear she’s starting to get emotional – he’ll attribute that to the hormones because even though he thinks he’s feeling _something_ he doesn’t quite feel the urge to cry. If anything, his brain is still digesting the information.

_We’re having girls. I’m going to have daughters._

He feels a tightness in his chest because he wasn’t sure what he was expecting. Heck, he wasn’t even really expecting to find out what they were having until much later. He didn’t spend much of his time doing research into what the scan was going to entail. He only looked up a basic web page with advice for dads-to-be on how to support their partners.

As far as kids are concerned, he’s only ever had some loose experience helping in raising Hop, and even then it wasn’t that much. He helped his mum with his brother pretty consistently until he was ten and then he’d left to chase his dream. Hop was a toddler when he left. Granted, he helped out with Hop on those occasions when he got a chance to come back to Postwick but… well, Hop was so much like him when he was younger – a typical boy with big dreams.

_Okay. Don’t panic. Remember what mum said. You can do this._

“Yeah,” he mumbles, leaning over to kiss Sonia’s forehead, “We are.”

* * *

Of course Sonia began to text everybody she knew as soon as she was out of the hospital. Given her reaction, he isn’t too surprised and he wonders if perhaps he should call or text his mum and Hop at some point to let them know (that is if she didn’t get to them first).

“So who’ve you told so far?” he asked with a raised eyebrow, curling an arm around her waist.

“Nessa, Gran and Gloria,” she lists off quickly, “I was thinking of texting your brother but I kind of assumed you’d want to be the one to tell him.”

“You can tell him if you really want to,” his free hand runs through his hair, “I mean, you’re pretty close to him too, after all. Kind of. And you’ll probably see him before I do.”

She stops suddenly and frowns at him, speaking after a brief pause, “Are you alright?”

“Yeah, fine,” he answers nonchalantly, stopping alongside her, “Why?”

“You’re not disappointed or anything?”

“Why would I be disappointed?”

“Well, I thought you might have wanted at least one of them to be a boy.”

It’s his turn to frown. A part of him might have felt at least a little bit more comfortable with boys (due to his prior experiences helping out with his brother and due to him being a guy himself), but he’s not really thought about it too much beforehand so he can’t really say he’s disappointed either. Anxious perhaps about potentially messing up later on down the road, but certainly not disappointed, “Not really. I’ve got to be honest Son, I didn’t really _have_ any expectations. Didn’t even realize you _could_ find out the gender now until you asked.”

A grin slowly crosses her face, “So it doesn’t bother you? Having two girls and being _totally_ outnumbered?”

He squeezes her closer to him gently, deciding to be as honest as he can without worrying or upsetting her, “Not really. Though I’ll admit that I haven’t got a clue about raising girls so you might have to bear with me.”

She shrugs, “Well I don’t either, really. I didn’t have the luxury of a younger sibling growing up, remember?”

“True,” he muses, and it’s a valid point. Sonia might be a female, but that doesn’t mean she knows anything about raising girls either. She still knows a damn sight more than him though.

“In any case, best to think of them more as being individuals than girls,” she carries on thoughtfully, “I mean, not all girls like all the stereotypical girly things, do they? Just like how not all boys like… whatever it is boys stereotypically like. I mean, look at Gloria. She _hates_ anything girly. The second she moved out it was hoodies and jeans all the time.”

“Okay, then why did you want to know what they were?”

“Like I said earlier, it was killing me not knowing.”

_Definitely all impatience then. Guess I’m a bad influence on her._

They start to walk again, with her linking her arm in his and leaning her head against his shoulder. They don’t say much to each other and he’s okay with that because just feeling her there next to him is helping to ease any anxieties he might be having about this latest revelation in his life.

He and Sonia are having daughters and as of right now, he thinks he’s starting to feel okay with it. Perhaps he’s even happy about it, but he’s not entirely sure he can say that for a fact. But aside from the anxiety regarding not knowing how to raise kids he feels a strange sort of fuzzy feeling in his belly when he thinks of the twins. It’s a nice feeling though.

“So what are you having for lunch?” she asks him, tearing him from his thoughts while she looks at him with a sly smile.

He knows what she’s thinking about and he can’t help but grin back, “I don’t know. I was planning on seeing what was in the cupboards and deciding then. I don’t think I’ve got much, mind.”

“Well, I think I’d like to take a shower first,” she murmurs slowly, and he feels a shiver travel down his spine at her tone of voice, “And if it’s alright with you, maybe I could let Yamper and Applin out to play after that?”

“Sure,” he’s confused now. If Yamper and Applin are going to be out and playing then when were they going to- _oh._

He licks his lips, “I think I’ll have one too. A shower that is. Before lunch.”

“Well, how about we save some water and share?” she’s grinning madly now and he swears his heart skips a beat while his cock begins to stir in his trousers. _Shower sex? She knows I can’t possibly say no to that._

Luckily they’re getting close to his flat because he doesn’t fancy having his erection somewhat exposed in a public place (even he’s not that brave). When they do eventually get there, he damn near drops his keys because he’s so eager to get in there and get their shower going which only causes her to tut with a roll of her eyes while she takes them off of his hands to open his door for him.

Once they’re inside and the door is closed he pounces, pressing her against the wall next to his front door while he captures her lips, almost unable to wait. She giggles and pushes him away slightly, “Hey, _easy._ I know it’s been a week but _Arceus,_ can’t you wait for a moment?”

“Sorry,” he backs off slightly, his hand flying to the back of his head, “Just… you know.”

“Yeah, I know,” she flutters her eyelashes and it’s taking every last bit of willpower he has to restrain himself from leaping at her again, “Just let me get my stuff sorted and then we can jump in the shower, yeah?”

“Yeah,” he sighs, reluctantly allowing his hands to drop to his sides as he watches her sift through her backpack for her things. She chucks her nightie over to him and he raises an eyebrow once he sees it.

“Nice, very revealing,” he chuckles, “I guess you’ve been shopping again.”

“Yeah,” she replies with a soft exhale, “Had to get some bigger clothes in. A lot of my old stuff doesn’t really fit me any more.”

“Oh,” his mouth hangs open for a moment because he’s sure she almost sounds downcast about it, “Well, you still look bloody good, for what it’s worth.”

“You think so, do you?” she raises an eyebrow, “Thanks, glad to know somebody still finds me attractive.”

“You’re always attractive Son,” he states insistently, “I’ll prove it. Come here.”

She edges closer to him and he takes her hand, directing it to his cock which is damn near rock hard underneath his trousers and boxers, to the point where he’s starting to feel a little uncomfortable. She yanks her hand away and pokes her tongue out at him, “Alright, dandelion. You’re horny. I get it.”

“My point stands Son, it wouldn’t be like that if you weren’t so gorgeous.”

“Hmm,” she hums as she fishes out a Poké Ball and a Quick Ball – belonging to Yamper and Applin respectively – and places them on the table before turning back to him, “Don’t you ever let your Pokémon wander around?”

“Of course I do, sometimes,” he answers, grinning cheekily, “Do _you_ always have to change the subject?”

She frowns slightly, “I wasn’t changing the subject.”

“ _Sure_ you weren’t,” he closes in on her, gently touching her face with his palm.

That gets a sigh out of her, “You’re annoying sometimes, you know that?”

“Only for you.”

“Lucky me.”

He leans in closer to her, “So are you done yet?”

She rolls her eyes at him, “You are _so_ impatient.”

“Says the woman who couldn’t wait to find out we’re having daughters.”

They stare at each other for a moment before they both start giggling. With another soft sigh, she quickly kisses him, “I guess I can sort everything out after we’ve showered.”

“You can,” he whispers, almost pleading while he presses his lips against hers again. They stay like that for a moment while he feels her warmth seep into his soul. _Arceus, I love her so damn much._

They break apart and she glances at him mischievously, “So, what are we waiting for?”

* * *

_Life can’t get much better than this,_ he can’t help but think as he thrusts into her, letting out low moans into her neck as the water cascades over their heads, causing their hair to stick to their bodies. Her back is pressed against the wall, one leg wrapped around his waist as she strokes his neck and gushes his name while his hands grope her bottom.

“Bloody _hell,_ I love you,” he moans softly into her ear and she groans the words back, lifting her head upwards just enough to give him better access and he takes a nip at her skin there, relishing in the sharp inhale it prompts from her.

“Hey, can you…” she utters through gasps of pleasure, “Am I your… naughty girl?”

“Wait, what?” he pauses from his thrusting to look at her in confusion.

She’s blushing furiously and he doesn’t think it’s all from the heat of the water, “You know, a… you remember that night?”

“A bit, yeah.”

“You… called me a naughty girl… remember?”

 _Oh yeah._ He thinks he remembers saying that when he was overwhelmed and not thinking straight. Is that what tipped her over the edge then? _Well, if that’s what she wants…_ He grins cheekily at her, “Yeah. You’re my naughty girl.”

“How naughty am I?” she whispers and he cottons on to what she’s trying to do, so he starts to roll his hips into hers again, coaxing sweet moans and whispers of his name from her lips while he whispers back to her, right into her ear that she is _very_ naughty and that she needs to be taught a lesson and _man_ , she’s tightening around him so it’s definitely having the desired effect.

So she likes when he talks dirty to her. He’s never really done it before her but he can’t be doing too bad of a job of it, as she comes undone shortly after with a loud cry, clutching him tightly to her, her nails digging into his back. He’s probably going to have scratches there later but he doesn’t really care because now he’s releasing into her with a noisy groan into her ear.

They stand there for a few moments, though he’s not sure how he hasn’t collapsed at this point because his legs feel very wobbly beneath him. At least she has the wall to lean against.

“How’d I do?” he asks, panting wildly as he interlinks his fingers with hers, “I’ve never really done the whole dirty talk thing before… well, you know.”

“Mm, pretty good,” she replies, equally as breathless as she drops her leg back to the floor, “Are you _sure_ you haven’t done that before?”

“Pretty damn sure, I think I’d remember.”

“Well, I’d say it’s a seven out of ten,” she smirks at him, swooping up to steal a kiss, “Always room for improvement but damn good for your first proper try at it.”

“Guess that’s something else I can work on then,” he grins, stumbling away from her to grab some shampoo, “Did you need some?”

“No thanks, I’ve brought my own.”

They finish their shower relatively peacefully, standing side by side underneath the shower head and washing themselves thoroughly. Luckily his shower is pretty sizeable so there’s plenty of room for the both of them to do this, and this is something he _definitely_ wants to do again. He doesn’t hesitate to steal a glance at her, admiring the way the water drips down her pregnant belly. _Perfect._

He’s definitely feeling a bit better about the whole pregnancy thing. He wouldn’t say he’s excited to meet their daughters but he’s glad they’re healthy and he does admit that right now, looking at Sonia’s bump gives him an oddly warm feeling. At the very least he can say he thinks he’s finally starting to come to terms with the idea of being a father, though he’s not entirely sure how to vocalize that to her or if he even should.

A short while later they’re both curled up on his sofa in their dressing gowns with the telly on. Yamper, Applin and Mr. Rime play on the floor while Charizard grunts behind them, sniffing around the kitchen area for some food.

Sonia glances back at him before turning back to Leon, “I take it Charizard isn’t the playful sort any more?”

He laughs, “Not really. He kind of thinks he’s the boss a little bit, so it’s almost like playing is beneath him. He’s mainly either focused on filling his gut or training.”

She glances back at the orange Pokémon again, “Stark contrast from when he was a Charmander.”

“Definitely,” he smiles, remembering back to when they were both ten years old and full of so many dreams, “That takes me back.”

“Yeah,” she says with a small, thoughtful smile, “Remember when he got bit by your Axew because he kept chasing her?”

“Yeah, he always used to chase her around,” he chuckles for a moment, “Can’t imagine him doing that now.”

“I imagine Haxorus would try and take a chunk out of him if he tried.”

“I don’t know about that, I think she’s a lot sweeter on him than she used to be.”

“Really?” she raises an eyebrow in mild surprise, “Well I guess to be fair, she and Charizard have been training together for over ten years.”

The fire Pokémon lets out another snort, clearly aware that they’re talking about him, and Sonia can’t help but giggle, “Have you ever thought about breeding them?”

“Not really,” he’s running his hand through his hair again, “I left Charizard with a Ditto once at the day care so that I could give Gloria a Charmander but that’s the only breeding I’ve ever done.”

“You didn’t get one for Hop?”

“I asked him, but he was perfectly happy with what he had. Something about how he needed to step out of my shadow and be his own person,” he frowns because he remembers that conversation – he’d felt a mixture of pride and sadness that day, because that was when it really hit him that his little brother was growing up and didn’t need him any more. He no longer is this awesome figure to look up to in Hop’s life because now they’re equals. Perhaps that’s another thing he sometimes misses about being Champion.

“Hmm, he’s grown up a lot hasn’t he?” she takes his hand gently and rests her head on his shoulder.

He nods slightly, “Yeah. But he’ll always be my kid brother.”

“I know.”

They spend the rest of the afternoon and evening together in his flat, curled up on his sofa watching their Pokémon play and listening to whatever was on the telly. Leon rotates his Pokémon so that each of them get a chance of being out and about. When it’s Haxorus’ turn she tries to nuzzle into him like usual (not the most comfortable thing in the world given her size and build) in an attempt to get him to pay attention to her instead and he briefly worries about the possibility that he might end up dealing with a jealous dragon later on down the road. Despite being one of his older Pokémon, she’s always enjoyed being babied by him.

Later that night they call all of their Pokémon back into their Balls and enjoy another round of passionate love making on his bed. She gives him an eight for his dirty talking this time, reminding him not to overdo it because otherwise it’ll wear out its welcome. After that she falls asleep curled up under his arm, head resting on his chest. Leon relishes the feeling of her soft breathing on his bare skin, thinking that he can get used to living like this, _being_ like this with her. _If only she didn’t live so far away…_ He falls asleep not long after.

He’s interrupted from his sleep at five AM by his phone ringing and he lets out a whispered curse while Sonia stirs beside him with a grumble, “ _Please_ tell me this isn’t a common thing with you. Who calls someone at _this_ time of the morning?”

He frowns slightly as he reluctantly sits up, “I don’t know, not even my Battle Tower staff call this early, and never on weekends.”

Leon feels a strange sense of dread pass over him as he looks at the caller ID and sees Hop’s name flash up. _Hop never calls this early, especially when he knows Sonia’s here. And it’s a video call._

He answers immediately, “Hop? What’s wrong?”

His younger brother’s looks a tad shaky and his reply almost falls out of his mouth at a crazily fast speed, “Hi Lee, um… I don’t want you to panic or anything because we’re totally fine. But I – well, _we_ – thought you should know that something happened last night.”

He narrows his eyes, feeling his body tense and his heart begin to race, “What? Slow down Hop, what happened?”

“Well, I _think_ mum and I were burgled last night but-”

_“What?”_

“-they didn’t take anything of value that we could notice. We’re okay, Lee! Mum’s a bit shook up but otherwise she’s fine. I made sure she didn’t see-”

“Didn’t see what?”

“This,” he’s holding up a piece of paper to the screen with trembling fingers. Sonia is sat up as well now and is leaning her head on his shoulder so that she can see. When she does she lets out a gasp and Leon feels a familiar anger and fear course through his chest and stomach.

For in Hop’s hand is a note, with the letters in bold capital letters written in thick pink ink.

‘ **KARMA WILL COME FOR YOU.’**


	14. A Question of Faith

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I’ve got my Pokémon here with us, including Zamazenta. I’m sure we can handle anything if it crops up.”
> 
> “And if you can’t?”
> 
> The younger male’s face seems to shift into something that looks almost upset, “You don’t think I can?”

Sonia isn’t surprised when the first words out of Leon’s mouth are, “Right, I’m coming down,” because she feels the same concern for Hop that he does right now, the same urge pulling her to brave the long journey back south to make sure that he’s okay and definitely unharmed.

“You don’t need to,” Hop replies insistently, though he still looks a little bit shaky and pale, “It’s okay. I’m here, I’ll make sure nothing happens to mum!”

“I want to come down,” Leon argues back, “It’s not just her I’m worried about, it’s you too!”

“But I’m _fine_ Lee,” the younger brother says and even with how shaken up he looks, he also appears adamant, like he’s trying to put a brave face on, “I’ve got my Pokémon here with us, including Zamazenta. I’m sure we can handle anything if it crops up.”

“And if you can’t?”

The younger male’s face seems to shift into something that looks almost upset, “You don’t think I can?”

Leon seems to realize he might be on tender ground because he seems to be attempting to back-pedal, “It’s not _that,_ it’s just-”

“No, I get it,” Hop mumbles and Sonia’s normally loud and eager assistant seems to slip into a quieter, more subdued mood, “I mean, if I still can’t beat you after all this time then my chances aren’t brilliant, are they?”

“Hop, that’s not-”

“It’s fine. You still don’t need to come down though,” the lad licks his lips and Sonia notices that his body seems to be tensing, “Gloria’s here visiting her mum. She… she said she’s going to hang around for a bit. So it’s fine.”

“Hop, I didn’t mean that I don’t think you can handle it!” Leon finally manages to blurt out and Hop is narrowing his eyes at him on the other end of the call.

“That’s not the way it sounded to me.”

“Mate-”

“Look, I’ve got to go, the police are going to be here soon and they’ll want to question me.”

“Hop, _listen to me_ -”

“Bye.”

Hop’s hung up and Leon’s left staring at his phone with his mouth hanging open and his muscles still tensed. Sonia licks her lips, unsure of what to say. In all of the time she’s known both of them, she’s never known them to fight and while she knows Leon doesn’t always engage his brain before he speaks she’s never known Hop to be capable of reacting so coldly towards the older brother he always used to idolize. Though she can’t say she completely blames him for it. Goodness knows the kid has had to deal with a lot of internal torment about himself in the past, and she knows from experience that even if the self-doubts gradually fade to grey it never completely leaves. It has to hurt coming from the one person he’s always wanted to impress and who’s opinion he values the most. Poor lad probably didn’t even want to disturb them, just make them aware.

She probably should address it with Leon, but before she can say anything he’s thrown the covers off of him, grumbling that he needs to take a piss. He’s gone before she can even think of the words to say. Still, it’s probably for the best, because it’ll give her a chance to think of what she can do to help ease his mind. He’s worried and the fact that he’s expected to just hang around at his home on the other side of Galar when all this crap is going on… well, she thinks she’s got a good idea of how he must be feeling, even if she understands Hop’s perspective as well. She’s seen Leon in a bad mood before but it’s not a frequent occurrence.

When he comes out of the bathroom, she gets up herself and holds her arms out, “Do you need a hug?”

He shrugs so she hesitantly approaches him and gently curls her arms up onto his shoulders, giving him a little squeeze.

“I’m fine,” he mumbles, “Just a bit hacked off. I mean, he’s my little brother, of _course_ I’m going to worry about him.”

“I know,” she soothes, stroking the ends of his hair, “But at the same time, you can’t totally blame him for coming to the conclusion that he did.”

He pulls back to look at her with a frown, “I didn’t _mean_ for it to sound like that.”

“I’m not saying I don’t believe you,” she says quickly so he doesn’t get the wrong idea, “But Hop’s… sensitive sometimes. He’s had a lot to deal with, trying to work out what his place is in this world and now that he’s found it he’s been starting to find his confidence again. So when the person he wants the most to see him as an equal implies that he doesn’t think he’s capable, of course it’s going to knock him back and hurt a bit.”

“But I _do_ think he’s capable, it’s just-”

She sighs, “You still want to protect him.”

“Well, _yes!_ He’s my little brother, Sonia.”

She chews her lip slightly, letting him go, “I get it. I mean, he’s not my brother but I still care about him a lot. He’s a good person. Except…” she meets his eyes. He looks frustrated and sad and anxious all at once, “he’s not a child any more, Leon. He’ll be eighteen soon. An adult. And he’s already dealt with a lot of things that have more than proven how capable he is both as a person and a trainer. He was there with Gloria during the whole Darkest Day thing to bring down Eternatus and he was there when the weirdo twins showed up and started messing everything up.”

“I know, but-”

“So even though you didn’t mean it to sound like it did, it might still be worth apologizing to him anyway, okay?”

He falls silent for a few moments in thought before nodding slowly, “Yeah. Yeah, I can see what you mean. You’re right. I’ll – I’ll do that.”

“Call him later though. That’ll give you both time to calm down.”

Another slow nod from him, “Yeah.”

“Do you need another hug?”  
  
“Can’t hurt.”

She embraces him again, and he tentatively reciprocates, though his muscles are still tensed slightly. She’s not all that surprised. She remembers arguments she’s had with Gran where she’s felt angry and resentful for a good solid hour after the fact because it was initially so difficult to look past the negative emotions to see what Gran’s point was. Gran was nearly often right in most of their arguments, but pride among other things didn’t always allow her to see that.  
  
She nuzzles into his neck and inhales his scent, feeling him slowly start to relax a little bit.

“Sometimes I really hate being so far away from everyone I care about,” he murmurs into her shoulder.

She lets out a soft exhale, “Yeah. I hate it too. But that’s the way things are. You have your life here in Wyndon with the Battle Tower and they have theirs in Postwick.”

“Just wish I could bring them all up here or move back home sometimes,” he says in a defeated tone, “But they’d never agree to it.”

“I wouldn’t expect them to,” she pulls back slightly to look at him and she could almost swear there are tears beginning to form in the corner of his eyes, “They’re not used to the hustle and bustle of such a busy city and I’m sure you wouldn’t cope with commuting that distance every day. In any case, Hop _can_ handle things back home. You know he can.”

His lips quirk up into a small grin, “Yeah, I know. He’s not one of my rivals for nothing. He damn near kicked my arse in battle a few weeks back.”

“Oh?” she raises an eyebrow cheekily.

“Hey, I still won!”

“Alright dandelion, don’t get your knickers in a twist,” she pulls away and begins to make for the wardrobe where her clothes are currently being kept, looking back briefly to see if he’s going to follow her.

“I don’t wear knickers,” she hears him grumble under his breath petulantly.

* * *

“Do you think it’s connected?” he asks her during their breakfast, and she has to quickly swallow down some cornflakes so she isn’t speaking with her mouth full.

“You mean this and the lab?”

“Yeah.”

She puts her spoon down on the table and leans back in thought. She’s been trying not to think of the vandalism on her lab door since the police closed the case, because she didn’t think it would help her or the babies if she allowed fear and frustration to overtake her. She’d hoped that it was just a one off by some prat looking for a laugh but now this note has dropped and… it’s just too similar. Someone has been in Hop’s home and left an equally cryptic note, in the same colour, strongly implying that whoever wrote it has an axe to grind.

She sighs, “I’m not sure. There’s similarities between both events which mean it’s very likely.”

Leon frowns, clearly still tense and worried about his little brother even if he concedes Hop’s capability, “So what exactly did Hop do to piss whoever this twat is off?”

“I don’t know, but it’s looking more and more likely that Hop’s the target of this,” she bites her lip again, “Do you know if he’s ever had any enemies?”

“Not that I know of,” Leon shrugs, “He’s so likeable, I’ve never heard anybody say a bad word about him. What about you?”

“Not that I can immediately think of.”

He sighs and leans back on his chair so that it’s only on two legs. She’s tempted to scold him but given that he’s restless because of all this concern he’s feeling for his brother she cannot bring herself to do so. She glances down at the few cornflakes she has remaining in her bowl, resting her chin on the palm of her hand. It seems that whoever targeted the lab had meant for Hop to read it, meaning that it’s someone who knows he’s her assistant. Perhaps they even know that he’s dropped his former dream of becoming Champion. They most likely know that he helped bring down Eternatus (because who _isn’t_ aware of that at this point?) and that he’s now the trainer of one of the legendary heroes.

_Wait._

“Could it be someone who wants Zamazenta and Zacian for themselves?” she asks before she can even really think on her theory, “I mean, they used the word ‘usurpers’ initially, which implies there’s more than one person they’ve got a problem with. What if it’s because Gloria and Hop are the ones with the legendary heroes?”

He nods thoughtfully in reply, “It’s possible. But who would want them that badly? We’ve already ruled out Sordward and Shielbert.”

She licks her lips, “Not totally. What if they sent someone to do it?”

“With Raihan and his gym trainers watching them all the time?”

“They could have planned it well in advance,” she argues feebly, “And Raihan wouldn’t necessarily be able to watch them _all_ the time, because that infringes on their human rights.”

“Yeah, I get your point,” he leans forward and clasps her hand in his, “But I still doubt it, Son. Raihan’s not the type to let something like that happen under his nose, especially not after Rose.”

“Perhaps it’s _because_ Rose did all that stuff under Raihan’s nose that I’m still concerned,” she shifts uncomfortably, “I mean, I’m not saying Raihan’s not smart or capable – you know him better than I do – but they’re not stupid either. They tricked Gran and me, remember?”

“Yeah. I know.”

She allows him to squeeze her hand, ignoring the strange fluttery leaps her belly keeps making which she attributes to worry, “I’ve been thinking… I want to see them. I want to talk to them myself.”

To her relief, he seems to agree with her without any sign of complaint, “Okay. I’ll text Raihan and see if he can set up a meeting today. Arceus knows I need to take my mind off of Hop and mum anyway.”

She can’t stop the smile from crawling across her face, “Thank you. When should we go?”

He strokes his trimmed beard slightly in thought, “Raihan’s not usually out of bed and ready to go until about ten most mornings so it’ll probably be after lunch before we can actually talk with them.”

“So what do we do in the meantime?” she asks, presuming that sex is definitely off the table for him in the same way that is for her ( _how could anyone possibly be in the mood after that has been dumped on them?_ ).

“I don’t know,” he shrugs and she lets out a disappointed sigh because now she has this plan in her head she’s itching to get cracking with it. She gets up and moves the bowl into the sink. Then she starts to fill the sink with water. She wonders if she should ask Leon if he wants her to wash his bowl up for him but then he’ll probably start on about how _he_ should be doing all of the washing up because it’s his home. So she doesn’t, leaving Leon to finish writing out a text to the Hammerlocke Gym Leader.

“Done,” he says, putting his phone back on the table, “And move over, I can do that.”

“It’s fine, it’s keeping my hands busy,” she replies nonchalantly, “Besides, _I_ do it properly.”

“Hey, I wash up properly!” he retaliates, looking almost indignant to the point that Sonia can’t help but giggle even if her whole heart isn’t in it.

“Tell that to the little pieces of food I found stuck to your plates last week.”

“You were half-naked in my kitchen, you _can’t_ blame me for -” Leon’s phone beeps, and he seems to be really caught off guard, “That’s odd, he’s never normally up at this time unless it’s during the season.”

“What does it say?” she inquires, drying her hands on his tea towel while he picks the phone back up and reads the message.

“He says to come on down any time we’re ready,” he puts his phone in his pocket, “So… do you want to go now?”

“Yeah. Just let me finish my make-up first.”

* * *

The journey to Hammerlocke takes about twenty minutes from Wyndon. One of the advantages of living so close to a city and having the railway line on a bridge is that there’s little to no chance of Wooloo flocking onto the rails and delaying the train, and that’s a relief to Sonia because she just wants to get this over with. She’s never kept it a secret that she holds a great disdain for the weirdo twins, after all. She hopes her own twins won’t turn out as strange and up themselves as those two jerks.

Raihan is there to greet them on arrival.

“Hey there Miss Clever Clogs, long time no see,” the dragon tamer raises his hand in greeting and Sonia wrinkles her nose.

“I have a _name_ , you know,” she scoffs and Raihan only laughs in response.

“Don’t wind her up, mate,” Leon warns, and she feels a surge of appreciation building in her chest for him.

“Right, sorry Sonia.”

“It’s fine,” Sonia sighs, “So where are the weirdos?”

“At the stadium. I can take you there now, if you like?”

“Please.”

So Raihan leads them down Hammerlocke’s streets, hands stuffed in his pockets as he and Leon talk about a variety of different things – none of which she really feels like she could or should chime in on as it’s mostly to do with the Gym Challenge and their Pokémon, and of course it doesn’t take long for both men’s egos to start inflating as Raihan starts going on about how he’s been working on a new training regime which means he’ll beat Leon for sure next time, and Leon starts reminding Raihan that he’s never lost to him. _Dear bloody Arceus I knew they were competitive but this is insane._

“How’s things been with you and Piers?” she finally asks, because if she has to hear any more of their dick measuring contest she might just lose her shit. That and she is legitimately curious.

“Ah,” he sighs and he seems to deflate from the high his ego trip has put him on, “Not exactly brilliant, to be honest.”

“What did you do now?” Leon asks, and Sonia isn’t sure if he’s joking around or if he’s being serious because he’s not laughing. Neither of them are.

“Nothing, shithead,” Raihan shoves her boyfriend, “He’s just paranoid. Thinks I’m gonna run off and ditch him because he’s not good enough or some thing like that.”

“What might give him that idea?” she asks. She knows Raihan’s had a reputation in the past for being a bit of a player but judging by what Leon’s been telling her, he’s sorted himself out and seems to be focusing strictly on Piers. Apparently a lot of the messing around had everything to do with him trying to force himself to be interested in girls instead of men. Something about Rose not wanting any of his Gym Leaders to express interest in the same sex so he can avoid potential scandals from homophobic sponsors on top of his own fears about facing homophobic abuse. Then once Rose got locked up and Leon unofficially took control of the League (until they can find someone else to take the position of chairperson), Raihan had apparently confided in Leon and he had reassured him that it was fine and bollocks to the homophobes. Sonia finds it strange to think of Raihan ever having any sort of doubt about his sexuality given how he usually oozes confidence, but it just proves that she really doesn’t know the man as well as she thought she did.

Raihan shrugs, “I don’t know. It’s not like I haven’t told him he’s being stupid.”

“Did you use those exact words?”

“Kind of. His sleeping patterns are kind of messed up lately because he’s working on a new album so he woke me up early. Then we kind of got into an argument. He kept saying I need to stop pitying him, which I don’t get because I’m _not,_ ” he rants and it’s clear he’s had this on his chest for a while.

“Why does he think you’re pitying him?” Leon asks as they turn into the main street where Hammerlocke Stadium is located.

“Honestly, I don’t know. Though he keeps saying…”

“What?”

“He keeps saying he can never live up to you,” he says, facing Leon and Sonia notices her boyfriend’s face fall slightly in guilt, “If you know what I mean.”

“Right. He still thinks that?”

“Yeah.”

Sonia feels like she’s missing something. Something she probably won’t like, “What are you both on about?”  
  
Raihan clears his throat and begins to explain, his tone bitter, “After Rose got sent down and I came out, some so-called journalists started releasing articles speculating which bloke I might have my eye on. The most common thing that everyone was insisting had to be true was that I fancied Leon, what with us being rivals and best mates.”

Sonia’s mouth drops open – how did she miss _this?_ Granted, she tried to avoid gossip magazines like the plague because they often had toxic articles in them about how women should look and behave and she wasn’t willing to waste any time on that nonsense, but that’s still a big thing to not notice. She feels another flutter in her belly, one that she attributes to the small twinge of anxiety building in her chest.

“And do you? Fancy Leon, that is?”

Raihan looks slightly ashamed and guilty – another sight Sonia thought she’d never see, “I admit I thought he was kind of cute when we were younger but I thought that about _a lot_ of guys back then. So no, not really.”

“Right…” She was hoping it would just be a straightforward no. Raihan seems to have noticed that she’s not quite right because he’s putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

“Don’t worry your pretty little head Miss Clever Clogs, just the thought of fucking this guy nowadays makes me think of fucking my brother and believe me, that’s the last person on earth I’d _ever_ want to fuck,” the Gym Leader says with a quick chortle and Sonia breathes a sigh of relief, “But anyway, Piers saw those articles at the time and when we hooked up he asked me about it.”

“So he thinks you have feelings for Leon?”

“I think so. But I don’t and I’ve told him that. He’s just bloody stubborn and won’t believe me because we’re,” he gestures to him and Leon, “best mates and talk quite a lot.”

Sonia doesn’t know what to say. She can kind of see Piers’ point of view in regards to not feeling good enough because goodness knows she’s had plenty of moments where she’s questioned her self-worth and even wondered why Leon loves her when there are many others out there who might be better for him (such as women who are strong battlers, or are at least as enthusiastic about battling as he is). Still, she always finds she believes his assurances whenever she voices her worries because he’s so damn convincing with them. However, the issue here seems a little more complex, especially given there might be a bit of jealousy as well as fear on Piers’ part (and it’s not exactly unwarranted, given how close a friendship Raihan and Leon have). Maybe Raihan isn’t convincing Piers enough?

“The offer for me to talk to him still stands, mate,” Leon quietly states, and Raihan runs a hand through his dreads with a sigh.

“I know but it probably won’t help. He knows you’re not into guys. It’s _me_ he’s worried about. Anyway, I’m sure we’ll work through it somehow.”  
  
“Maybe try and see things from his point of view,” Sonia mumbles, trying to think of her own experiences with low self-esteem – she might be able to pull something from that at least, “I mean, imagine if everyone in Galar speculated Piers was hung up on another person and you felt you weren’t good enough for him?”

“Yeah, I know, but fucking hell, I’ve _told_ him I care. I care a lot more than he thinks I do,” Raihan lets out an exasperated, almost tired sigh, “Truth be told, I’m sure a lot of it is his depression. I keep telling him he needs to go back to the doctors and change the pills he’s on. The ones he’s taking aren’t helping him. He gets really snappy sometimes and other times I have to remind him to shower and eat.”

“I think if he’s depressed, then you might have to be a lot more understanding,” Sonia begins thoughtfully, “It sounds like he’s really struggling which is not him being stupid. What do you guys do in your spare time, do you go on any dates?”

“He sleeps over at mine every so often and we mess around, if you know what I mean.”

“Go on a few dates, perhaps at a restaurant or cinema, and maybe try sleeping over at his place for a change,” she suggests, trying to think of things off of the top of her head, “Give him lots of attention outside of sex.”

“And you could always let him be on top when you _are_ doing it,” Leon chimes in with a cheeky grin, “I know you always have to feel like you’re the boss in just about everything, but perhaps let him have a little power over you for once.”

“Hmm, fine. I’ll give those things a go. Can’t hurt, can it?” the dragon tamer shrugs, opening the door to the stadium before turning back to Sonia with a toothy grin, “Thanks _Deirdre._ ”

“Really? See if I help you again if that’s going to be your attitude,” Sonia growls as she pushes past him into the building.

“I was only joking. Seriously though, thanks for the advice. It’s appreciated,” Raihan hastily replies, following in behind Leon, “Anyway, getting off of that subject, what did you need to see Tweedledum and Tweedledee for?”

“Oh yeah, I didn’t tell you,” Leon says quickly, “Someone broke into my mum’s house last night. Left a note like the one that was left on Sonia’s lab door. It said something about karma getting whoever it was aimed at. We think Hop and Gloria could be the targets because they have Zamazenta and Zacian.”

“They were helping look after my baby dragons yesterday with Camilla,” the taller man strokes his chin thoughtfully, “One of the stupid buggers got bit by the Deino we’re raising so Aria had to help him clean up. Don’t think they were on their own for the entirety of the time they were working.”

“When did you get a _Deino_ in?” Leon asks in amazement and Raihan shrugs again, “Just recently. The little guy doesn’t like most people. Only Piers and me, really. I can still let you see him if you want to later, but for the love of Arceus keep your hands away from him. He seems to think fingers are sausages.”

When they reach the stadium’s field Sonia can see the twins in a far off corner raking running over the grass with white paint liner, while under the watchful eye of one of Raihan’s Gym Trainers – Sebastian, Sonia assumes, given that she’s only aware of Raihan having one male Gym Trainer in his staff. She’s confirmed correct when Raihan approaches him and addresses him as such.

“Got someone here that wants to talk to you two,” he tells the twins, his fang resting on his lip in a trademark grin, “I’m sure you remember Professor Sonia Magnolia and former Champion Leon?”

Sordward smiles, narrowing his eyes as his lips curve up into a smirk – a look that both frustrates and unsettles Sonia, “Of course we remember, am I right Younger Brother?”

“Indeed,” Shielbert’s expression matches his older twin’s, “We could never forget. I hope you know that we both still deeply regret our previous actions and we wholeheartedly congratulate you both on your forthcoming children.”

“Save it,” she snaps as she yanks out her phone and pulls up the photo of her vandalized lab door – thank goodness she’d taken it and kept it, “ _This_ happened to my lab about a month ago. Do you know anything about this?”

Shielbert strokes his chin thoughtfully, “No, I cannot say I do. What say you, Older Brother?”

“This isn’t familiar to me either, I am afraid.”

“Nothing?” she asks harshly, “No possible ideas on who these ‘usurpers’ might be?”  
  
“None.”

“We have no idea whatsoever.”

“What about Hop?” Leon chimes in, “I’m sure you remember my brother?”

Sordward grins widely, “Ah yes, the hotheaded boy who bonded with Zamazenta. How has he been?”

“Someone broke into his mum’s house last night and left a note for him,” Sonia speaks up again, her tone harsh and cold, “It said ‘karma will come for you’. Do you know anything about that?”

“Not at all, my dear professor. We are deeply aggrieved to hear of it,” Shielbert replies with a shake of his head and a shrug of his arms and it’s taking Sonia every bit of willpower she has to not shake them out of frustration, “In any case, we hope your family are safe and well in spite of this, chairman.”

Leon frowns, “I’m not the chairman. Not officially. Just holding the spot until someone more qualified comes along.”

“Strange,” Sordward strokes his chin again, his brows knitted together, “That’s not what he said.”

Sonia glowers at them, “Who?”

“One of the other Gym Leaders who visited recently. An annoying boy. Seemed to have a superiority complex.”

“You mean Bede?” Raihan asks, “I don’t remember him saying anything like that.”

“ _You_ weren’t there, Mr. Raihan,” Shielbert replies pointedly, “It was while we were under the watchful eye of one of your protégés. He remarked that he doubted our beloved former Champion here would come close to being as successful a chairman as the former one.”

Sonia feels her muscles tighten as she clenches her fists, “Even as an interim, he’s doing a damn better job of it than Rose ever did. At least he hasn’t willingly committed acts of terrorism, and he doesn’t treat the current Champion like he owns her.”

“Did Bede say anything else?” Leon asks thoughtfully, seemingly not bothered by the Ballonlea Gym Leader’s remarks about his capability because it seems like he has come to a conclusion about something else, “Has he mentioned my brother at all?”

“I do believe he said something about how ridiculous it was that a trainer of such low skill could befriend one of the legendary heroes.”

Now she can see Leon is tensing slightly, though she can’t help but feel in awe of him – he’s being so much more restrained than her. She can’t help but bite back, “Hop is one of the finest trainers I’ve ever met.”

“Indeed, he must be to become the trainer of Zamazenta. Perhaps he truly has grown from when we fought him last,” Shielbert replies while twiddling his fingers (one of which Sonia notices is in a plaster) and she has to fight the urge to hit him. Raihan and Leon seem to pick up on her frustration, because Leon is squeezing her hand with his and Raihan is stepping forward, almost as if to put himself between them.

“I think we might want to call it a day,” Raihan says firmly, “These two have work to do and you two have probably got better things to be getting on with.”

His tone is one not to be argued with – he’s speaking with all of the authority of the Hammerlocke Gym Leader. Sonia grumbles, stuffs her phone back in her pocket and storms off of the field. Leon calls after her but she doesn’t turn back. He’ll catch up with her, anyhow. She has never felt so frustrated in her life and that’s even counting the times Leon or Gran have riled her up. She’s learnt _nothing_ from them. They claim to know nothing about what happened, and yet they _would_ say that if they didn’t want to be caught, surely? She’s not sure who else could have done this, who else would have such an enormous issue with Hop that they would go to all the effort to do _this._

Leon catches up to her in no time, “Son, are you okay?”

She lets out an angry sigh, “Yeah, I just… I had to get out of there.”  
  
He rubs her shoulder tentatively, “I know. But you need to calm down. All this stress can’t be good for the babies.”

“Yeah,” another sigh comes out of her mouth, this one defeated, as she leans back into him, allowing him to massage her shoulders more confidently, “Yeah, I know. I’ll try.”

“Good,” he murmurs, planting a kiss on her cheek. Raihan emerges at that moment, and he’s looking a little bit cheerier.

“Sorry about that,” his hand is in his dreadlocks again and he seems earnest, “I just got this feeling you were going to lose your shit at them. Not that _that_ wouldn’t have been a fun show, but I’m not about to let you get in trouble with the police for assault. I don’t think they’d hesitate for a second to grass you up.”

“Mm, thanks,” she mumbles in appreciation while twisting some of her red hair around her finger, “I’m fine now. Or getting there, at least.”

“I assume you didn’t get the answers you wanted.”

“No.”

“Shame,” Raihan sighs, sliding his hands into his hoodie’s pockets, “I’ll keep an eye on them though. Rose might have got past me, but those two won’t, I can assure you of that.”

“Thanks.”

He turns to Leon who seems to be lost in thought, “Anyway, you want to come and see our Deino now?”

“Not today mate,” Leon says and he looks legitimately disappointed, “Something’s come up that I want to look into.”

“Oh, chairman business perhaps?” Raihan raises an eyebrow.

“Just a friendly chat,” Leon mumbles in response.

“Well, good luck with that,” Raihan chuckles, “The kid’s a right snot. I doubt he had anything to do with it but I guess there’s no harm in checking to see if he knows anything.”

“Can you two _seriously_ stop talking like I’m not here?” Sonia snaps, pulling herself away from Leon so she can face him, “ _Where_ are we going?”

Leon’s face is serious as he leans forward again to stroke her shoulders, “Ballonlea. I have a few questions for Bede.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not gonna lie, I also kind of ship Raihan/Leon as well (I'm pretty open when it comes to shipping tbh) and I did briefly consider making Raihan's prior feelings for Leon a lot stronger than what I did but ultimately decided against it. Maybe I'll do a one-shot separate from this fic series at some point. I don't know. 
> 
> I would definitely like to do an accompanying fic with moments from Raihan and Piers in it in line with this fic too, and there is another idea I have too. The thing is, I don't want to start too much in case I lose focus from this fic and while I do have a rough idea on where I want things to go I do change my mind from time to time so I'd need to account for that.
> 
> Anyway, enough of my rambling. Thanks for reading and for the comments and kudos, it's all well and truly appreciated and spurs me on when I feel myself slipping. x


	15. Pink

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Are we done here?” Bede asks sharply, his arms folded across his chest.
> 
> “Not quite,” Leon continues, “The ink was pink. Your favourite colour.”

Since available Flying Taxi bookings are scarce enough as it is, Leon initially toys with the idea of riding on Charizard’s back. He ultimately decides against it because he doesn’t want to run any risk of Sonia falling off and hurting herself, especially not while she’s pregnant. Not only that but Charizard has never carried more than one person before, so he doesn’t want to put pressure on him. So he sucks it up and calls for a Flying Taxi anyway, making sure he name-drops himself to ensure they have priority. He hates doing that normally, but it’s not exactly a short journey to Ballonlea from Hammerlocke.

It was only when they were speaking to the twins that the thought had occurred to him. Both notes were written in pink, the signature colour of the Ballonlea Gym which Bede took over not long ago. He also remembers Gloria mentioning something to him a while ago – about how Bede had said something to Hop which had caused him to begin doubting himself. Something that went a bit beyond trainer competitiveness and struck a nerve in his younger brother, causing the whole issue with his confidence to spiral out of control. Granted, he doesn’t think Bede has anything to do with this particular situation but he’s willing to follow any lead if it means the people he loves are safe and if the new Fairy-type Gym Leader said anything to the twins, it’s possible they might have said something back.

As they land in Ballonlea, Sonia exhales, tucking some loose strands of hair behind her ear, “I haven’t been here since I lost to Opal all those years back. It hasn’t changed much at all.”

“Ballonlea never seems to change,” he agrees before turning to address the driver, “We shouldn’t be long. An hour or so at most.”

The driver nods, “Alright. I’ll come back in an hour then if that’s alright with you?”

“Sure. I don’t envy you and Corviknight working during the tourist season,” he grins earnestly which the driver returns, “No worries there, Corviknight loves all the flying. Anyway, I’ll see you in about an hour.”

After the driver takes off and they’re left to their own devices, Sonia turns to him with a slight frown, “So why do you want to talk to Bede?”

“The twins said he spoke to them,” he replies, “It’s worth asking him if they’ve said anything to him.”

Sonia lets out a tired sigh, “Dandelion, you know there’s these things called phones? You could have called him to ask instead of doing this face to face. Why are we _here?_ ”

“Don’t you think it’s odd?” he asks quietly as they walk past an elderly couple who are within listening distance, “The writing on both your lab door and the note were both pink.”

She shrugs, “And? Plenty of people like the colour pink. _I_ like pink.”

“I also know that Bede doesn’t like Hop or Gloria much,” he explains, though now he’s starting to wonder if he’s overthinking things, “Gloria told me about what he said to Hop during their Gym Challenge and if what the twins said about Bede not thinking Hop is worthy of Zamazenta is true, then there may be a motive, even if I don’t think he has anything to do with it.”

“I think I see,” she murmurs thoughtfully, “You think that Bede might know something?”

“Well, that or someone wants to frame him,” he finishes, the thought only just occurring to him, “Either way, it’s worth meeting for a chat.”

She nods, wrinkling her nose slightly – he knows that Sonia hasn’t had much if any interaction with Bede (Leon hasn’t much either bar from a few League meetings) but he’s sure his little brother has told her plenty of things about him from their time travelling. Like how he verbally tried to use _him_ to tear Hop down. He wishes he’d known about that a lot sooner than the Championship Cup, even if he couldn’t have done anything about it at the time. Part of him would like to address it even though he knows it was over a year ago.

Either way, this isn’t a task he’s keen on leaving to Gloria or Hop for obvious reasons. Gloria would likely take great delight in winding Bede up and Hop… well, Gloria said that the tension tends to run high when both boys are in the same vicinity, and that would only worsen if he even remotely suspected Bede of being the culprit.

Ballonlea is home to a gorgeous stadium nestled in the middle of a thicket of glowing mushrooms, and given that it’s easily the largest building in the little village it doesn’t take them long to find. Leon wonders if Opal still frequents there these days – he knows she’s taken a back seat since Bede’s taken over but she’s not the type to merely leave things be either, and he also knows she’s extremely fond of her protégé which could potentially make things awkward.

His wondering comes to an end when he sees the elderly woman sat inside on one of the chairs, her thin hand clasped around her walking stick while her old eyes regard them with curiosity, “Ah, the former Champion and Professor Magnolia. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

“Hello Opal. We need to speak with Bede.”

“I see.”

“And what do you wish to speak with me about?” a voice asks firmly from the entrance to the stadium’s stage. He and Sonia glance up to see a young lad not much older than Hop, with white-blonde curly hair and cold blue eyes. His face is set into a scowl, as if he’s been interrupted from something important. _He’s probably been training._

Leon refuses to be phased by him however. Gym Leader or not, Bede is technically still classed as a child until he turns eighteen. He doesn’t hesitate in his reply, “I heard you’ve been in Hammerlocke recently.”

“What of it?” the boy flips a hand through his hair cockily. He can see Sonia’s jaw is slightly clenched out of the corner of his eye. He hopes that she can stay at least somewhat relaxed. Bede’s not the easiest person to deal with as it is, and he doesn’t want to worry about her losing her temper again.

“Apparently you saw Sordward and Shielbert while you were there. They told us you had a conversation,” his hand is in his hair again but Bede doesn’t need to know that it means he’s trying to grasp around for ideas in his head as to how to approach this discussion, “I was wondering if they’ve said anything to you that may seem, I don’t know, suspicious?”

“Why?” he frowns, “It’s not like it was anybody’s business what was said.”

“We know some of it,” Sonia chimes in darkly, “We know you’ve said things about Leon and Hop to them.”

Bede snorts, “And what? Are you here to tell me off for expressing my own opinions? I’m sure both the former Champion and his brother do not have such thin skins that they cannot handle a few criticisms.”

“That’s not what we’re here for,” Leon replies calmly. He’s _not_ going to lose his temper with Bede. Right now he needs to act professionally as chairman and while the comparison to Rose that inevitably comes into his head makes his skin crawl, it _is_ his role to fulfil at the present time, “I’m sure you’re aware of what happened to Professor Magnolia’s lab?”  
  
“A vandalised lab door if I recall correctly,” Opal speaks up, her tone brighter than normal as if she finds talking about this sort of gossip enjoyable.

“Yes, well, there’s been another similar incident,” he clears his throat before he continues, “My mother’s home was broken into and a note was left for Hop. In pink ink, the same colour of writing that was on Sonia’s lab door.”

Opal’s expression immediately hardens, “Are you implying that you believe _Bede_ is behind this?”

“No,” he says quickly, “If anything, judging by the messages that were left we think Sordward and Shielbert are the most likely culprits. The police… haven’t been as helpful as we’d like so we’re looking into things ourselves. Which is why we want to know if anything was said.”

Bede lifts a finger to his chin in thought, “Nothing much of note. Initially they made a few remarks about how boring cleaning the stadium is, so I told them that if they didn’t pull their silly dynamaxing stunt then they wouldn’t have ended up in their position. They agreed.”

“And?” Sonia asks with a frown, her chin resting on the palm of her hand.

Bede ignores her, continuing to face and address Leon only, “They expressed relief that the legendary hero they had targeted recovered and was in the care of your brother. I expressed my opinion that I found it undignified that such a low-level trainer could befriend such a powerful Pokémon.”

Leon tenses but he doesn’t say anything, allowing the boy to carry on, “They made a remark inquiring as to how you would react upon hearing me say that. I told them that I didn’t really care, that I honestly doubt your skills as chairman and that I will continue to live my life my way, without being dictated to by anyone.”

He allows himself to smile, just slightly, “Is that it?”

“Yes, I believe so.”

“They didn’t say anything else?” Sonia chimes in, “No indication that they might have had something to do with it?”

“Not a word,” he scoffs, “I doubt they’ve got many allies left to help them after their embarrassing u-turn in any case.”  
  
“What do you mean?”

“The people who followed them believed everything they did was for the purpose of providing the truth to the people when really it was all a lie and only ever to pacify their egos. That much became obvious when their plans didn’t quite succeed to turn the legendary Pokémon rogue and they apologized for their actions. Nearly every follower they had turned their backs on them, or so I heard.”

“I see,” Sonia hums, “So they haven’t got anybody?”

“So chances are they haven’t had anything to do with it,” Leon sighs, “Back to square one then.”

“Are we done here?” Bede asks sharply, his arms folded across his chest.

“Not quite,” Leon continues, “The ink was pink. Your favourite colour.”

“And? _Many_ people out there like pink. _I_ like pink,” Opal chimes in sharply.

“I cannot rule out the possibility that somebody out there might be trying to divert our suspicions.”

Bede raises an eyebrow, “You think whoever did this is attempting to frame me?”

Leon smiles slightly, his eyebrows knitted together slightly, “It’s possible, especially given that I’m sure an esteemed Gym Leader of the Galar Region like you wouldn’t even _think_ of doing something like this.”

“Of course not,” he snorts, “Such behaviour is childish and beneath contempt.”

“Even though you don’t like Hop and Gloria?” Sonia asks pointedly causing Bede to turn and scowl at her.

“My personal feelings and history with those two don’t cloud my mind so frequently that I feel the need to behave like a hooligan,” he says and his eyes narrow a little more, “But it’s nice to know that the new chairman and his girlfriend have about as much faith in me as the prior chairman and Oleana did.”

“I’m not the new-” Leon begins to protest but he’s quickly cut off by Sonia, who’s leaning forward slightly.

“What do you mean by that?”

Bede’s fingers begin to clench into his arms and his facial expression is distasteful as he looks at her, “You know how they used me before throwing me aside the second it appeared I would make the chairman look bad. You were there.”

The professor’s face settles into something resembling familiarity and she nods. What Leon’s hearing is not surprising. He vaguely recalls hearing about how Rose had disqualified the trainer that he himself had endorsed. Granted, the destruction of a mural was tasteless and he’d felt it was a deserved punishment but still … he wonders if there was more to that than met the eye, especially given the reveal that relics of the past hid behind that mural.

“He only cared for saving his own skin in the end. Even after _everything_ he did for me, even after seeming to _accept_ me for who I am. At least _Oleana_ for all her misgivings was consistent,” his fingers dig into his arms even more, “She never liked me and never attempted to hide it. As much as I disliked her I at least respected her for that.”

“Was she cruel to you?” Sonia asks softly and it looks like she feels sorry for the prideful young Gym Leader.

“She was rather unpleasant,” he replies curtly, “Regardless it benefited the former chairman to have a former researcher working for him who could close off their emotions with little effort. Without her he would not have been able to come close to reviving Eternatus. Though he certainly never appreciated what she brought to him, much the same as me.”

Leon nods slightly, “I understand that, Bede. It was the same for me too. But I’m not like that. I don’t use people.”

Bede glowers at him, “And that is why you may yet fail as a chairman. Not everyone will agree with your vision and if you’re not prepared to take control, then you will never succeed where he did.”

“You don’t need to manipulate people to succeed. Just listen and compromise when needed,” he says calmly, “In any case, this is only a temporary position. I’ll be sure to make note of any particular concerns you might have and pass them onto my successor when they take over.”

“ _If_ they take over,” Opal chimes in, and she’s looking at Leon with a strange knowing smirk which makes him feel uneasy.

“Yes, well,” Leon’s hand is back in his hair again and he tries not to showcase that he’s flustered – Opal has always claimed he’s hard to read and he’d hate to ruin her impression of him, “We’ll cross that bridge if and when we come to it. Anyway, I think that should be it,” his hand finds Sonia’s again and squeezes it, “We should get going.”

Bede seems to relax slightly, “Good.”

“Keep an eye out, though. If you can think of someone who might have an axe to grind with you, let me know.”

“I can handle myself.”

“I’m sure you can, but still, please.”

“Fine.”

* * *

“Well, that was fun,” Sonia sighs sarcastically as they finally arrive back at Leon’s flat later that evening. He watches as she kicks off her shoes and slumps back onto his sofa, exhaling in exhaustion as Yamper and Applin come out of their Poké Balls to greet her. He can’t blame her, it _has_ been a busy day. After their chat with Bede they took the Flying Taxi back to Hammerlocke for a bit to have lunch. They then spent much of the afternoon traipsing around shops in the hopes of taking their minds off of everything that’s been going on, especially since Sonia wanted to look at baby clothes.

He’d wanted to ask if Raihan was still available so he could see his Deino but Sonia had started to look quite tired so he’d decided they’d be better off just catching a train back to Wyndon and leave that for another day. Besides, if Raihan’s having relationship trouble with Piers then perhaps it might benefit them if he took a step back to give them space. He highly doubts the Deino will be going anywhere anyway, not if it’s as young as Raihan’s making it out to be.

“I think we cleared out the last of my good food yesterday,” he tells her, heading into the kitchen to take a glance at what was in his cupboards, “Want me to order takeaway?”

“Sounds good to me,” she chirps, putting her feet up as Yamper leaps up onto her legs and gently rests his head against her belly. Applin makes a displeased sound which causes her to lean down and scoop him up, laughing softly.

“You spoil them,” he remarks with a cheeky grin, only for her to turn around to face him while poking her tongue out.

“Don’t start. You’re just as bad with your Pokémon.”

He chuckles, “You got me there.”

She watches him thoughtfully while he dials up Bob’s Your Uncle and places an order for them. Once he’s finished with that, he puts the kettle on. _A cup of tea sounds blissful right about now._

“So are you still going to call your brother?” Sonia asks, distracting him from the teabags he’s just about to put in their cups. He’d almost forgotten about that.

“Yeah,” he replies, trying to sound more sure of himself than he feels, “I’ll just finish making our tea and then I’ll phone him.”

Truth be told, he’s feeling a little bit worried that his brother might still be pissed off with him. He wouldn’t blame him if he was. His mind has cleared enough to see that he really put his foot in it. Granted, that’s not entirely unusual for him – he’s been bad about that ever since he was a kid – and even though he’s gotten a lot better at not letting his mouth run faster than his brain there are still moments when he slips up. He also doesn’t want to run the risk of upsetting Hop again – he’s one of the most important people in his life after all.

When the tea’s all been made he offers Sonia some biscuits before he leaves the room and makes the call. Hop doesn’t answer and he feels his heart sink in his chest – perhaps he’s still upset with him. The answering machine chimes in asking if he wants to leave a message, and he decides it can’t hurt.

“Hey, Hop. Just wanted to say I’m really sorry about this morning. I didn’t mean to make it sound like I don’t believe you’re strong enough, because let’s face it, you _are._ Heck, you damn near _thrashed_ me last time. So I just want you to know that I believe in you and always have,” that should probably be enough but now that he’s started he can’t seem to stop himself, “It’s just… sometimes I remember back when you were this dorky little kid who used to get worked up about how to throw a Poké Ball. It’s hard sometimes to remember that you’re not that kid any more and that you don’t need me to protect you. I’ll always worry about you though, I’m sorry but I just can’t switch that off. You’re my brother. I love you to bits, mate. Anyway… I hope we can talk later.”

He presses the button to end his message, exhaling sadly, making to turn back towards the living room where Sonia was still waiting for him, but before he reaches the door the phone rings in his hand and he almost drops it in his haste to answer, “Hop?”

“Hi, Lee! Sorry, I just got out of the shower and mum’s gone out,” he sounds so chirpy and happy, almost like this morning hadn’t happened, “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I- did you get my message?”

“Yeah, I heard it,” his brother says and his tone seems to have shifted to something calmer, “And I’m sorry too. Mum kind of helped me put it into perspective. It’s just… I don’t know. I want you to know I never want to let you down, or mum.”

“I know,” Leon murmurs, his free hand stroking his trimmed beard, “Are you both okay?”

“Yeah, the police came and took statements this morning,” he replies, “Mum’s calmed down, she’s gone out with Gloria’s mum for a night out to try and take her mind off of it. Gloria’s still hanging around, she’s just picking up some stuff from her mum’s so she can sleep over.”

“Right, well, if you two end up doing anything, make sure to be careful,” Leon teases, feeling that the tension seems to have left them, thankfully. He’s always hated fighting with his little brother.

 _“Leeee!”_ Hop whines, “Come on, we’re not doing anything like _that!”_

“Are you sure? I can always post some stuff down to yo-”

“No, pack it in!” he yelps on the other end of the line before he changes the topic, “Hey, anyway, I’ve got a bone to pick with you.”

“What?” he asks, curious because Hop’s tone seems to have gotten quieter and more serious. He has to wonder if he’s done anything else to upset his younger sibling. He hopes not.

“When were you planning on telling me and mum that you two are having girls?”

_Oh shit. I forgot all about that._

“I thought Sonia would have told you?” he asks with a slight frown, “I mean she was texting everyone she knew afterwards so I assumed she’d told you as well. I said she could tell you.”

“Well, she didn’t,” Hop replies and his tone is still quiet and almost unreadable, “I had to wrestle it out of Gloria since she hinted that she knew… I just can’t believe you didn’t tell me that I’m going to have nieces.”

“I’m sorry, mate. I honestly forgot all about it. Like I said, I thought Sonia would have told you given that she was telling everyone else and…” his cheeks heat slightly remembering yesterday’s romp in the shower, “well, we kind of got… caught up in other things.”

“I don’t want to know about that,” Leon can almost imagine Hop’s nose wrinkling up in distaste, “Anyway, I’m not actually angry about it. Mum kind of put that into perspective too. She said congratulations, by the way. She already wants to go out and buy lots of clothes and stuff for them.”

“I’m not surprised,” he can’t help but chuckle and the tension between the brothers seems to ease again as Hop lets out an amused snort, “Just… tell her not to go overboard. If Sonia doesn’t get to buy them some things I think she might get a bit upset.”

“I’ll tell her,” Hop laughs, “Anyway, I’ve got to go. Gloria’s just come through the door. Talk to you later. Tell Sonia I’ll see her Monday.”

“Yeah, I will. Bye Hopscotch.”

“Bye.”

He lets out a sigh of relief when that’s done as he feels some weight leave his shoulders. He’s so glad Hop isn’t angry with him any more, though he still feels a little bit guilty that he didn’t tell Hop about the twins. Still, at least it’s all sorted now. He heads back into his living room, debating whether or not to ask Sonia why she didn’t mention their news to his brother. He ultimately decides against it when he sees her looking like she’s close to falling asleep on his sofa. If Hop and his mum aren’t angry, then it’s not worth getting into a potential argument. She probably just forgot, given how scatter-brained she’s been lately. It literally only takes a nanosecond's distraction for her to forget about something, even if she’s in the middle of doing it.

He wanders over to her, and she seems to be awake enough that she lifts her legs up briefly to allow him to sit down before resting them across his lap. She looks at him with a soft yet tired smile, “How’d it go?”

“Good, we’re all good,” he replies, gently reaching over to stroke her hair, “Though if you’re that tired, maybe you should have an early night?”  
  
“No, I’m not that tired,” she says contently, “Though my belly feels funny.”

He blinks in surprise, “Funny how?”

“Like… I don’t know. A flutter, maybe. It’s been happening on and off all day. I just assumed it was anxiety over all of this crap that’s been going on.”

“A fluttering?” _Wait a moment._ “Like what Dr. Kamishiro said?”

She seems to pause for a moment in thought before her face seems to light up in recognition and then her hands are yanking her top up slightly to expose her belly and she’s firmly pressing it, feeling all over for some kind of pushback. She spends some time doing this until finally she pauses and her lips curve upwards as it seems she’s found what she’s looking for.

“Well?” he asks, trying hard to quell the desire that’s beginning to stir between his legs, “Is it?”

She nods quickly with an excited smile, reaching across to grab his hand and pressing it firmly to her belly before he can even voice any objection. She’s pressing his hand quite firmly into her belly and he wonders why this isn’t hurting her, especially given that lately she’s become quite vocal if he grabs her too tightly during sex.

“I don’t feel anything,” he says quietly, and she shushes him, continuing to press his hand into her belly.

Then he feels something. It’s small and is over so quickly he almost questions whether or not it might have been his imagination, but he could have sworn he felt something tiny briefly press into his hand. He’s not sure, but given how Sonia’s eyes meet his and she looks so pleased with herself, he thinks he can safely assume that what he felt right now was one hundred percent real.

 _That’s our daughter,_ the thought enters his head unbidden and he can feel his heart racing in his chest, _that’s one of our girls._

“The little madams have been moving on and off all day and I didn’t even notice,” Sonia giggles and he can’t help but let out a soft chuckle as she leans forward and embraces him, “I feel like such an idiot.”

“Don’t,” he presses a kiss onto the side of her head, “Didn’t the doctor say a lot of women miss it on their first go around?”

“Yeah, I know,” she murmurs, pulling away from him and leaning her head back against the arm of his sofa. She closes her eyes, her hand releasing his to rest on her belly. She looks exhausted, no matter what she said before.

“You can go to bed if you want,” he urges gently, resting his released hand on her leg – this isn’t helping his sexual desire much at all, but she doesn’t seem to object to him touching her there.

“What about our takeaway?”

“It’s fine. I’ll bring it in to you and you can eat it there if you’re still awake. You look shattered.”

She lets out a soft hum and wearily smiles at him, “Thanks. I might just go and do that then. I’m sorry babe, but… I’m not in the mood for sex tonight.”

“That’s fine,” he whispers and his lips quirk upwards in an amused grin, “You called me _babe_.”

She yawns, sitting up. Her legs slide off of his effortlessly, “Yeah, and?”

“Does this mean you’re dropping dandelion?”

“Not a chance.”

It doesn’t take long for their takeaway to arrive and Sonia falls asleep immediately after they’ve eaten. She’s clearly exhausted from the events of the day and Leon can’t entirely say he blames her – if his body was expending some of its energy on allowing for the growth of two new humans he’d probably be knackered as well. He doesn’t feel tired though – if anything he feels restless and after having a quick wank in the bathroom he ends up pacing his kitchen floor repeatedly, making sure his bedroom door is shut so he doesn’t disturb Sonia’s sleep.

Hop’s fine, he’s established that, and with Gloria there with him he knows that they’ll definitely be okay. He’s not too worried about their well-being at the present time. The future, however, is something that concerns him. This is the second time a note like this has been delivered. Both occasions could be linked to Hop quite securely – the first target being his place of work and the second being his home. The terminology in the first note mentioned ‘usurpers’, implying that Hop and somebody else have taken something valuable from the person targetting him and the only things he could initially think of are Zacian and Zamazenta.

_Unless…_

The thought initially crosses his mind that maybe it’s _not_ Zamazenta they’re upset about, but _Gloria._ If she and Hop are a couple now, then maybe Gloria has an overly obsessed fan somewhere out there who resents Hop for it. She _has_ risen quite quickly in popularity as the new Champion of Galar. It would also explain why Bede might be a potential target for being framed – maybe there’s resentment there because Bede doesn’t like Gloria. Maybe they’re trying to set things up to make it seem like the Fairy Gym Leader has secret feelings for the Champion? Or maybe the individual actually _believes_ that’s the case, leading them to class Bede as a ‘usurper’ as well. It’s far-fetched and possibly not what’s going on at all, but he makes a mental note of the theory regardless. It can’t hurt, especially not when his little brother is the target. As for Bede, he has a duty to the Gym Leaders while he’s acting as chairman, even if the boy can take care of himself and seems to hate accepting help from anyone.

Gloria… well, he cares about her almost as much as he does Hop. She’s become like a little sister to him as well as her being his protégé. He doesn’t want anyone he cares about to be harmed. Still, perhaps he should discuss this theory with her. He’ll mention it to Sonia in the morning first though and see what she thinks. She’s always been smart, so it’s worth hearing her thoughts on it.

He glances over to the corner of the room and is just about able to make out green eyes watching him. He edges a little closer and when he sees who those eyes belong to, he lets out a quiet chuckle.

“What are _you_ doing out here?” he asks softly, scooping up Applin into his arms, “Sonia and Yamper are in bed. Can’t you sleep either?”

The little dragon chirps in his arms, shifting a little to look up at him, its eyes narrowed slightly. The little guy certainly _looks_ tired. In fact now that he thinks on it, Leon’s seen this look before on his own Pokémon, especially Charizard and Haxorus which can only mean…

“Oh. You’re worried about me?”

The little dragon shifts its whole body into a strange sort of nod and Leon exhales, “I’m fine, little guy. Everything will be fine. We’ll get to the bottom of things.”

He hopes he’s right about that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a lot of stuff running through my head with Bede that I want to delve into, though I want to make it clear that in this fic at least lots of stuff that's stated is coming from either Leon or Sonia's perspectives, meaning there's a lot of stuff going on with other characters that they won't necessarily see unless it's told outright to them.
> 
> I've near enough finished most of Isle of Armor and it was fun. I'll try and stay as true to it as I can while still remaining true to what I've already established in this fic. :)
> 
> Thanks again!


	16. Down Under

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “So that’s why you want to talk to Oleana.”
> 
> “Sort of. Leon doesn’t believe Rose has anything to do with this, but I feel like I can’t rule it out until I’ve spoken to someone who actually knew everything he was up to.”

_It’s not the brightest start to a Tuesday morning I’ve ever had,_ Sonia thinks to herself as she trudges into the humid caves south of Turffield. She wrinkles her nose as the mud seems to have gotten on the sides of her favourite hiking boots. Granted, they’re old and worn down but she wore these when she went on the journey that ended up putting her on the map as a fully fledged professor, so in a strange sort of way she considers them lucky. Still, at least she’s not alone in this particular venture. When Nessa had called her the previous evening to catch up, she’d ended up offloading all of her concerns onto her. The conversation led to the Hulbury Gym Leader getting in contact with Milo. Apparently he’d said something about seeing Oleana heading into the mines again and of course Sonia couldn’t turn down an opportunity like this. She’s not about to sit on her backside and let Leon and Gloria do all the investigating, after all.

“So Leon thinks it might be something to do with Gloria?” Nessa asks, an eyebrow raised as they trudge into the next area of the mines. She sounds almost disgruntled, but Sonia can’t help but appreciate the fact that she’s here on this incredibly hot day doing this with her, because it would have been so easy for her to say no. The Galar mines aren’t the most pleasant place to be, especially during weather like this.

“It’s something he’s considering,” Sonia replies, “I’m not too sure on the theory myself. I mean, I can understand why some nutcase might think Hop usurped Gloria but what on earth has _Bede_ usurped? He _hates_ Gloria.”

“I can see your point, it doesn’t really add up,” Milo chimes in, “Bede has always been quite _… vocal_ about his dislike for our young Champion.”

“Is it possible Bede _could_ have done it?” Nessa asks, “I mean, he _is_ a brat.”

“That’s a fellow Gym Leader you’re talking about, Ness.”

“I’m stating a fact as I see it.”

Sonia doesn’t need to think on Nessa’s question – she already knows how she feels about that, “Leon doesn’t seem to think so and after talking to him myself I don’t either. I know Bede has a bit of an attitude problem but I can’t imagine him doing _this._ ”

“He destroyed the mural at Stow-on-Side,” Nessa argues.

“I know, I was there when it happened,” Sonia responds wearily, “But I don’t think that was all on him. I don’t know, something didn’t seem right about it. I think it’s possible that somebody put the thought in his head knowing he’d carry it out. All he ever wanted was to please Rose, after all. He’d probably have done anything.”

“Fair point. So that’s why you want to talk to Oleana.”

“Sort of. Leon doesn’t believe Rose has anything to do with this, but I feel like I can’t rule it out until I’ve spoken to someone who actually knew everything he was up to,” Sonia chews her bottom lip slightly before turning to the Turffield Gym Leader, “You’re definitely sure she’s here today, Milo?”

The Turrfield Gym Leader attempts to straighten his hat while he answers, “Yeah, Kabu saw her heading out here this morning from Motostoke. She’s apparently been staying at the Budew Drop Inn.”

“So how come you saw her going into the mines in Turrfield?” Nessa asks, frowning at him slightly.

Milo shrugs, “She came out of the Pokémon Centre at around midday yesterday. She must’ve been working on this end of the mines. Perhaps she needed to heal her Pokémon or just wanted to grab some lunch? There’s nothing malicious in that.”

“No, I suppose not,” Nessa sighs, tossing her hair behind her shoulder, “But I don’t know. There’s something about that woman that makes my skin crawl.”

“I’ve only met her once but she had the same effect on me,” Sonia admits with a shiver, “I don’t know what it is but she always comes across so _cold._ ”

Milo quietly says, “I always just took that to be the researcher in her. Always logical and that.”

“Bullshit. Sonia’s a very logical professor and _she_ has emotional range,” Nessa replies, looking over at her best friend with a warm expression, “Being a scientist doesn’t mean you stop feeling things.”

“I know that Ness, but – I don’t know. I just think about all the backlash and abuse she got after what Rose did and I kind of feel bad for her. Perhaps it’s easier for her to act like she doesn’t feel anything, because then it doesn’t affect her as much?”

“I’m not sure about that. Whenever she lost her temper, she _really_ lost it,” Nessa mutters. Sonia winces – she’s heard from Leon about those times when Oleana lost her temper and started verbally lashing out. Nessa has apparently been on the receiving end of it once or twice (mostly in her early days of being a Gym Leader when she lost to Milo frequently and the balance between her modelling and Pokémon training wasn’t as well thought out as it is now), and according to Leon, he and Raihan got yelled at somewhat frequently. Heck, didn’t Hop say Gloria had been forced to battle her once because she was trying to get to Rose?

“I wouldn’t know personally,” Milo replies, “I’ve never had her get angry with me.”

“Lucky you,” Nessa grumbles as the three of them continue to make their way deeper into the mines. Sonia fans herself with her hands, trying to ignore the fact that her head is starting to spin, most likely as a result of the heat. The air is thick down here and she hates it but if she doesn’t do this now she doesn’t know when she’ll get another opportunity.

“How much further?” Nessa asks with another slight toss of her hair.

Milo shrugs, “I don’t know, I’m not sure where exactly she works.”

“Then ask someone.”

Luckily Milo isn’t so proud that he feels he cannot ask for help and he does just that, asking one of the mine workers if they’d seen Rose’s former assistant, and he points them in the right direction without much thought and, mercifully, without asking any questions. Sonia’s glad she left her lab coat at home now, as she can feel the heat burning into her skin as they travel deeper until finally they catch a glint of golden hair under the light of the lanterns and glowing jewels. She must have heard them coming because she’s turned to face them, her face a blank canvas as she regards them coolly.

“Milo and Nessa,” she nods towards them slightly, “along with Professor Magnolia. What a pleasant surprise.”

“Oleana,” Nessa returns her greeting, her tone equally as polite as the former assistant’s but Sonia knows her best female friend well enough to be sure that the politeness is almost certainly a front, “My friend Sonia wanted to see you. To ask you some questions.”

“I see,” she responds, and her face appears guarded, “I presume this is about your laboratory door? I have already discussed the matter with the police.”

“I know,” Sonia says quietly, trying to figure out how to gauge what the other woman is thinking and coming up blank, “I’m sure you’re aware that Leon and Hop’s home in Postwick was broken into as well, then.”

“I’ve heard about it.”

“Well,” Sonia stalls. She’s not sure what she wants to say, heck she’s not even completely sure why she’s here any more because all she can think of is how damned _hot_ it is and how hard it is to focus on what’s around her, “I just wanted to ask… when the last time you saw Rose was.”

“I saw Mr. Rose in person a few months ago while he was in prison,” she says without emotion, “That is when I was asked to provide some community service on his behalf, particularly in the mines. I haven’t had any contact with him outside of that.”

Sonia licks her dry lips, “Would he have had any reason to target my lab and Leon’s home?”

“I doubt it. Mr. Rose holds no ill will towards the Champion or the former Champion’s brother. He deeply regrets his actions regarding Eternatus and has expressed gratitude that things were stopped before serious damage could have been done to Galar.”

Sonia scowls at her, “I find that hard to believe. He said he’d do it all again given the chance.”

“I believe his _exact_ words were that he would be willing to take _similar_ drastic action if it meant ensuring Galar’s prosperity,” Oleana sneers and the two women’s eyes meet, causing Sonia to feel a strange uncertainty fill her stomach, “That’s hardly the same thing.”

“It may as well be the same,” Sonia replies darkly, “His actions with Eternatus could have destroyed _everything._ ”

Oleana’s face seems to fall slightly, a hint of emotion seeping through her stoic facade, “I am aware of that.”

“Don’t you feel bad that you helped him with that?” Sonia continues, ignoring the fact that her vision is starting to blur and that she’s drifting away from the topic she came here to discuss in the first place, “Don’t you feel that he deserved what he got?”

“I fail to see what this has to do with the vandalism at your laboratory.”

“But _don’t_ you?”

“If all you are here for is to throw abuse at me for continuing to support Mr. Rose then I must politely ask you to leave.”

Nessa puts a comforting arm on Sonia’s shoulder, pulling her back slightly before speaking herself, “Both notes were in pink and we’re reasonably sure Leon’s brother is the target. We know Bede doesn’t like Hop or Champion Gloria very much. So we’d like to know what you can tell us about Bede.”

Oleana sniffs, “There isn’t a lot that I can say. There are certain things regarding Bede that I’ve been ordered to keep silent about.”

Milo blinks, “Like what?”

“I assume you will find out eventually.”

“Could he have done it?”

“I cannot say for sure,” she sighs, resting a hand on her hip, “I _will_ say that Bede was… a troubled child. An orphan with no friends and no likeability. It struck a chord in Mr. Rose and he took the child under his wing under the condition that he took part in the Gym Challenge once he was old enough.”

“He said you didn’t like him,” Sonia states pointedly.

Oleana nods, “As I already said, Bede was an unlikeable child.”

“I can believe _that,_ ” Nessa mutters under her breath. Sonia isn’t sure however. Sure, the lad seemed to have a bit of a superiority complex and a snotty attitude, so she could understand why people would regard him as unlikeable because initially that is how he comes across. But she can’t help but think back to the day he was disqualified from the Gym Challenge… how he had looked so angry and broken and _distraught._ That was clearly a teenager who looked up to Rose, who would have done _anything_ to hear him say how proud he was of him and never wanted to disappoint him.

It’s really not that much different from her when she thinks about it. She spent so many years wanting her Gran to be proud of her. It had been out of a desire to make her proud that she’d left home again to investigate the mysteries behind the Darkest Day in the first place (though the fact that she was curious about it certainly helped). Heck, even _Leon_ was somebody she wanted to impress even if she didn’t know how to. Not only that, but given all the shit it seems that the boy has gone through in his life… can she really blame him for being angry and bitter?

Perhaps Oleana simply didn’t understand that. She didn’t seem to have a maternal bone in her body, after all. She likely never grew up like that and thus wouldn’t have a clue what he was feeling.

“So you don’t have any clue about who might have done it?” Milo asks, interrupting Sonia from her thoughts.

“None, I’m afraid,” she faces him, regarding him with cold blue eyes, “Though I wish you luck on finding the perpetrator. In any case, I have a lot of work to do so I will need to cut this meeting short.”

“Thank you,” Milo replies before Sonia or Nessa can even interject, “We’ll be on our way now then. It’s rather hot down here. I don’t know how you cope!”

“I’m used to it,” she remarks coldly before turning away from them, and it’s clear they’re not going to be able to get any more information from her… not that they’d gotten much to begin with.

“Right, well, thanks again! Enjoy the rest of your day!” he chirps awkwardly, placing an arm around each of his companion’s shoulders and gently yet firmly leading them away. They remain silent for a majority of the journey back and it isn’t until Nessa speeds up and steps in front of Sonia that the silence is filled.

“Sonia, are you okay?” She’s looking at her with a concerned frown, “You’re flushed and hot to the touch.”

“Yeah,” she waves her hand, trying to ignore the fact that her vision has been gradually been getting hazier ever since they’d first entered the mines, “Just hot. I’ll feel better once we get outside.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m _fine_ ,” she grumbles, pushing past her to carry on making her way out of the mines. She’s tired. She wants nothing more than to go to sleep. But she has to get out of here first, and she’s sure as hell not going to worry her friends because she’s a little bit hot, dizzy and her head is pounding. After all, she just needs a good drink. She should’ve thought ahead really and brought some down with her, but she didn’t think Oleana would be as far in as she was and she hadn’t accounted for just how bloody humid it is down there. _Stupid Sonia. Best hope Gran doesn’t find out and lecture you for this._

Her head is spinning and her legs feel like jelly. But she’ll feel better once she’s out of the mines and away from the thickness of this hot air…

Her foot catches a rock and she trips, though fortunately she has the foresight to fling her arms out in front of her to protect her belly from the potential blow. Nessa lets out a loud swear as she hurries to her side, leaning down to look at her and from the expression on her face, it’s clear now that she’s worried, “Are you okay?”

“I said I’m fine,” she murmurs, and it’s only now that she notices that she’s slurring her words slightly, “Just… hot. Tired. Want to go to sleep.”

“ _Don’t_ go to sleep,” Nessa hisses before she turns to Milo, “I think we need to get her somewhere cool,” she turns back to Sonia, “Can you stand?”

Sonia tries. She really, _really_ tries but her arms and legs just wobble beneath her and her head spins and hurts worse than it ever did before at any sudden movement she makes. It becomes pretty clear to all three of them that she wasn’t going anywhere on her own. _Shit. Gran and Leon are going to kill me._

“Right. I hope you don’t mind but I think it’s kind of necessary at this point,” Milo says firmly, and before Sonia can ask what he’s doing he’s bent down and scooped her into his arms. She protests feebly, though when she tries to move her arms and legs it feels like they weigh a lot more than what they normally do so it ends up being pointless. In any case, Milo seems determined to carry her and Nessa is talking to her, though Sonia can’t quite seem to focus on what she’s saying because she’s just so bloody _tired._

Perhaps she can close her eyes, just for a moment. So she does.

* * *

_It always seems to be when I’m at the Battle Tower that shit starts happening_ , Leon muses while riding on top of Charizard’s back. He’d just finished up another battle when his receptionist informed him that he had a phone call from Milo of all people. He’d been unsure initially of why the Turffield Gym Leader could possibly be calling him, but he assumed it was because he might have found some information for him regarding their mystery note-giver. It wasn’t until Milo explained breathlessly down the phone what had happened that he immediately instructed his receptionists to schedule any other battles with him for a later time and he tore out of the door at the speed of a Liepard.

Sonia’s in Motostoke Hospital. She, Nessa and Milo had gone to the Galar Mines to speak to Oleana and the heat must have caught up to her because she’d fainted. _“The doctor thinks it could be heat stroke,”_ Milo had said to him.

_What were you **thinking** , Sonia?_

He’s frustrated with her. He’d told her _he_ would go down and chat with Oleana. Even though he really doesn’t like the woman and he thinks that feeling is mutual for her, they at least know each other just enough that he can get a rough read on her and what she’s thinking. Sonia doesn’t know Oleana. She doesn’t know that while Oleana is mostly civil and professional, she also has a more emotionally volatile side to her sometimes that’s not pleasant to witness, let alone deal with.

He’s annoyed with Milo and Nessa for agreeing to it. They damn well _know_ that Sonia’s pregnant and that an unbearably hot mine is no place for an expectant mother-to-be.

He feels angry with himself though as well. If he hadn’t put off of talking to Oleana himself she wouldn’t have felt the need to go and do so. He should have put his big boy trousers on and just _done_ it rather than dithering. He used to be the Champion of Galar and he still is one of the strongest Pokémon trainers in the region. What reason has he got to be afraid of _Oleana?_

Finally he touches down outside of the hospital in Motostoke (thank goodness Charizard seems to know his way around because he would have been stumped otherwise) and he hurries inside of the hospital after recalling the fire type into its Poké Ball. It takes him a while to find where Sonia is though. Even with clear instruction from the receptionist, he ends up getting lost leaving him to curse his abysmal sense of direction. He knows what floor she’s on though and he’s certain he’s in the right place as far as that’s concerned. He’s about to ask a nurse for directions when a large hand touches his shoulder and almost makes him jump out of his skin.

“Hi,” Milo says awkwardly, “Sonia’s this way. Nessa’s with her.”

“Is she okay?” he blurts out before he can even think about it and Milo nods slightly.

“Yeah, she seems to be alright. They’ve put her on a drip because they’re worried she might be dehydrated. She’s got to stay in overnight at least, which she’s not happy about.”

“And the twins?”

“They seem to be alright as well. They picked up both heartbeats and there’s no sign of distress.”

Leon breathes a sigh of relief, “Right… that’s good.”

“Yeah, it’s lucky we got her here when we did,” Milo rubs the back of his neck awkwardly as he begins to lead him to where Sonia is, “I’m _really_ sorry about all this. She seemed really determined and there was no talking her out of it.”

“Yeah, that sounds like Sonia,” Leon snorts. He can’t seem to bring himself to be angry with Milo right now – the poor bloke looks awfully guilty and he _was_ the one who ultimately got her the help she needed straight away. If nobody had been with her… he doesn’t want to think about what might have happened.

“Anyway, they’re treating her for heat stroke. They’re not entirely sure if that’s what it is because they reckon it’s also possible that she might have just overexerted herself, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Heat stroke can be dangerous if left untreated.”

He grits his teeth, “She shouldn’t have gone down there.”

Milo’s face falls, “I know. I truly am sorry and Nessa feels equally bad. She hasn’t left her side at all since we’ve got here.”

“It’s fine,” he mutters even though there’s a small part of him defiantly insisting that it isn’t fine, “I know how stubborn she can be once she’s got her mind set on something. Thanks for getting her help.”

“I’d never leave a damsel in distress behind.”

_That sounds like something **I** might say if I was feeling particularly corny,_ he thinks to himself with a slight grimace. Eventually they arrive in the ward that she’s on and he lets out a sigh of relief when he sees her sitting up in her bed, looking tired and flushed but otherwise awake. That relief doesn’t seem to last long though, as it’s gradually being replaced by the frustration he felt towards her earlier. Perhaps Milo can sense that he needed to speak with her alone because he immediately puts a gentle hand on Nessa’s shoulder and suggests that perhaps they should go. Nessa seems reluctant but thankfully she agrees, leaning forward to hug the redhead while insisting she takes it easy.

“No more adventures,” the Hulbury Gym Leader teases, pointing at her and Sonia lets out a small laugh and a nod in reply, “No more adventures. For now.”

“Take care, hun. Love you.”

“I will. Love you too.”

The Gym Leaders leave relatively quickly after that and the two of them are left alone. Leon can definitely feel the frustration bubbling in his chest, almost reaching the surface when Sonia speaks up, “I know you’re dying to tell me how stupid I’ve been. Don’t bother. I already know.”

He can’t help himself, “ _Why,_ Son? I was _going_ to go and see her.”

“And when were you planning on doing that? Next Christmas? When our daughters start school?” she snaps, “You said you’d talk to her _ages_ ago.”

“I’ve been busy,” it’s not true and he knows it. He could _easily_ have made the time to go down and talk to Oleana but it’s easier to lie than admit that he is a little bit anxious at the thought of being around that woman. Well, _more_ than a little bit, which shames him to no end.

“I know you’ve got a tight schedule,” she grumbles, “But you have more time on your hands now than you did back when you were Champion so I find it hard to believe that you couldn’t have scheduled _something._ ”

He flinches because it’s true.

“Look, I’m sorry,” she carries on, though her tone is still bitter and laced with annoyance, “Perhaps I should’ve held off until it was cooler. I made a poor judgement and I’m a fucking idiot because of it. But I _really_ don’t need the lecture so if that’s what you’re here for then perhaps you should just go back home.”

“I _came_ because you collapsed and ended up in hospital. I’m _worried_ about you,” he bites back, “I love you and I honestly got scared that something happened to you. I can’t believe you’d even think I only came here to tell you off, I’m not your _Gran!”_

She winces slightly as it seems he’s struck a nerve. _Oh._

“Your Gran’s been by hasn’t she?”

Sonia nods slightly, her face still in a tight scowl but her eyes seem to be glistening like she’s fighting back tears. Leon doesn’t need to ask for any more than that. Hazel Magnolia can be incredibly blunt at times, especially where Sonia is concerned. Sometimes she tends to get overly critical and even though it comes from a place of love and concern it often ends up doing more damage than helping. “I’m sorry,” he mumbles, taking her hand and giving it a squeeze even though she doesn’t hold his back, remaining tense and distant, “I just… you _really_ scared me today. And you’re right. I should’ve gone to see Oleana much sooner.”

She doesn’t say anything, only continues to sit in silence looking down at her hand in his. He lets out a sigh as he comes to the conclusion that he cannot lie about this to her after all, “Can I be honest with you?”

She nods again.

“Promise you won’t laugh. Or tell anybody.”

She shrugs.

“Oleana…” he bites the inside of his cheek before he forces the rest of the words out of his mouth quickly before he can hesitate again, “she kind of scares me.”

She blinks in surprise, “What?”

“She kind of scares me,” he admits. He can feel his face heat and he’s almost certain that she’s thinking of all of the new riffing material she now has on him. Former Champion Leon, one of the strongest trainers in all of Galar, is scared of a _woman_. Oh, the shame.

“I don’t blame you,” she finally says, her voice quiet and croaky. He blinks at her – he didn’t expect _that_. She still doesn’t look directly at him as she continues, “I don’t know what it is but… when I talk to people I can usually get a rough idea of what they’re thinking but with her… I don’t know. I don’t understand _why_ she still defends Rose after what he did. And the way she spoke about Bede… She sort of implied that she knows things about him. Things that someone doesn’t want getting out.”

He frowns at her, “Like what?”

“I don’t know, she didn’t say,” she replies, “But I really got the feeling that she _hated_ him.”

“Does that bother you?”

“I’m not sure. A little bit. He was an orphaned child. What could an _orphaned child_ have done to make her hate him that much?”

Leon shrugs, trying to ignore the uncomfortable feeling in his gut that brews at those words, “I was told Oleana’s like that with a lot of people, and it’s kind of true. I lost count of how many times she’s yelled at me for being late for a meeting or for doing something she didn’t think Rose would like.”

“What are you trying to say?” she asks with a frown, actually looking at him now.

“That maybe she doesn’t hate him. That it’s just the way she is.”

“Maybe,” she bites her lip, looking down towards her belly, her free hand gently holding it, “I’m sorry.”

“I know,” he murmurs, leaning forward to kiss her on the forehead, which feels hot to the touch, “Just… don’t go and do something like that again without telling me. _Please._ ”

She nods slowly, “I won’t,” she chews on her lip, “I… really haven’t been doing myself any favours. Or the girls.”

“Sonia…”

“Gran said I behaved irresponsibly. Said I needed to stop thinking of only myself and remember that I’m responsible for keeping our girls safe. Said I could have gotten _them_ killed as well with my stupid actions,” she says darkly and she seems to be tensing again, “It just makes me wonder if I’m going to be a shit mother. If I can’t even protect them by looking after myself then-”

“Pack that in,” he tells her firmly, squeezing her hand again, “You made a mistake. Everyone does at some point. That doesn’t mean you’re going to be a shit mum.”

“Gran-”

“Is not a perfect parent either,” he tells her, “I’ll bet she probably did some stupid stuff at some point. I know _my_ mum isn’t perfect,” _and my dad **definitely** wasn’t_ he adds in his head but he doesn’t want to talk about him, especially not when there are more important matters that require his attention, “You are going to be a great mum, and I know that because I know _you_. Your Gran… she was probably just really worried. She probably didn’t mean to make you feel like that.”

“I know,” she mutters, leaning back into her pillow, “I just… I keep thinking about when I first found out I was going to have them. I wasn’t even sure I _wanted_ them then. All I could think of was how scared I was and now… now that I know I could have lost them, I feel sick at myself,” she meets his eyes, “I can’t lose our girls, Leon.”

He smiles gently, “You won’t.”

“I love them, dandelion,” she says quietly, “It’s taken me some time to work that out but… I really do love them.”

“I know,” he murmurs, planting a gentle kiss on the back of her hand, “And that’s why you’re going to be _brilliant._ ”

He wishes he could say the same about himself. He knows he feels _something_ when Sonia talks about them and it most likely _is_ some form of love, but at the same time there’s still a feeling of unreality to the situation. He does _care_ for them and their well-being – he was worried just as much for them as he was for her when he got that call from Milo but lately it seems like Sonia has formed a special connection with them, one that he doesn’t feel yet. Part of him feels like he’s missing something. He’s not entirely sure but at the moment he feels like he’s on the outside looking in.

He wants a connection like that with them. It’s like he won’t know what he really feels and where he truly fits into this until they’ve been born and he’s seen them with his own eyes.

He wants to see them, wants to feel them beyond a tiny split second push into his hand. The thought of them coming into this world fills him with excitement, which almost takes him by surprise because he doesn’t think he’s ever felt that about them before.

With that revelation, he smiles slightly. Maybe his mum was right. Maybe he’ll be brilliant too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, Sonia... I cannot blame you. <3 I know I've questioned myself as a parent many times, both before and after my kids were born!  
> I've never really written mysteries or things like that but I hope I'm at least doing okay. A first time for everything, right? We can learn by doing after all. :)
> 
> Thanks again! I often don't reply to comments or even comment in general because I am very socially anxious and I'll end up worrying about what I've said for hours like a dork, so I just want to say you're all appreciated and your comments do make me smile (now I'm totally going to worry about even mentioning this haha). :)


	17. Missing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She frowns slightly, “Piers? What can I do for you?”
> 
> “I need to talk to you an’ your assistant,” he replies, his tone laced with frustration and anxiety.

Sonia recovers quickly from her stint in hospital. She’s given a firm talking to by the doctors on the importance of staying out of hot environments like the mines unless there were no other options. They also implore her to carry at least one drink of water with her everywhere she goes as well as asking her to wear a hat to keep the sun off of her face. Something to do with how this is looking to be the hottest summer Galar has ever had and being pregnant means she’s more at risk than she ever was before of complications brought on by heat. Leon sees an opportunity to insist that she pull out that old Yamper cap he gave her a few years ago out of storage. She’s not a cap person but she reluctantly concedes, especially when Gran seems to agree that it’s a good idea and she spends the next few weeks being teased by her boyfriend about how they near enough match when they’re together (while he’s proudly wearing his Charizard cap).

She’s also been told firmly by both Leon and her grandparents not to get involved with investigating who Hop’s mysterious note-giver is any more and while it bothers her because she gets a kick out of investigating things she gives in on that as well, choosing to focus on her work during the weeks at her lab (which at least has air conditioning after her grandfather insists on spending out a fortune for it). She hates sitting on her laurels though, knowing that whoever it is is still out there, possibly waiting to strike at some point. Though Hop has vehemently insisted he’ll be fine and asked her to not endanger herself on his behalf and she does have faith in Hop and his skills as a trainer, she can’t help but feel protective of him as well. Still, he can take care of himself and the twins can’t and that’s ultimately what it boils down to.

She does well with it for the first few weeks, doing all she can to force her mind to remain on her research when she’s at the lab, on Leon during their weekends together and on her babies (who have _definitely_ become more active) during the rest of her free time. Nessa pops by a handful of times (at least once a week) to check in on her, clearly still feeling guilty about the whole mine ordeal even though Sonia has told her again and again that it was her own fault for not taking her own health into account. The guilt still eats at her about that.

“Sonia, dear?” the redhead is torn out of her thoughts by her grandmother, who approaches her slowly from behind while she finishes writing out some notes at her desk.

“Yes Gran?”

“There’s someone here to see you.”

Gran has taken to coming to the lab with her on some days and while Sonia doesn’t mind hearing her input on some of her theories, it’s also a little bit overwhelming, especially given Hop is in the lab too. Apparently Leon spoke to her grandmother at length about what she had said to her and that had made things a little bit different between them. Since then Gran has been a lot more attentive and _huggy_ and Sonia isn’t used to it. She doesn’t resent Leon for it – bless his heart, he was only trying to help – but she wishes he’d left things alone. She and Gran would have talked about it eventually. Maybe.

Still, she’s not going to think about that now. It’s not every day someone comes to the lab and asks for her specifically, “Who?”

“That’d be me,” a male voice replies and she can’t help but notice that he sounds different – less tired, more anxious and that reflects in his appearance as the former Spikemuth Gym Leader steps out from behind her gran, his back hunched over slightly and his eyes underlined by shadows, like he hasn’t slept in a long while.

She probably shouldn’t be too surprised that he’s here. A part of her had been mentally prepared for the possibility after Raihan told her all about the stuff that was going on between them. But then, why _her_ and not Leon? It’s not like they’re friends. They’d only met during the whole weirdo twins debacle and with the exception of a few parties (including Nessa’s) they hadn’t really seen each other since.

She frowns slightly, “Piers? What can I do for you?”  
  
“I need to talk to you an’ your assistant,” he replies, his tone laced with frustration and anxiety.

“Hop?”

“That’s the one.”

“I gave him the morning off, he’s at home training.”

“Figures,” he grumbles, tapping his thin foot impatiently.

“Did you need me to call him to come over?”

“Nah, don’ bother him, can always ask him later,” Piers scratches his head at the base of his long bushy ponytail, “Jus’ wanted to ask if any of you’s seen Marnie.”

Sonia definitely wasn’t expecting _that_ , “Your sister?”

“Yeah,” he scratches at his head again, “See, me an’ her had a bit of an argument. Can’ t quite remember what it was abou’ but she got real mad and stormed off. That was two days ago.”

“Two days ago, you say?” Gran interjects, sitting on the nearest chair to Sonia’s desk while gripping her cane with thin white fingers, “Is this normal behaviour for her?”  
  
“No, it ain’t,” Piers replies, “I figure I must’ve pissed her off good an’ proper for her to have run off like that but it ain’t like her to leave the gym withou’ telling anyone or even takin’ her phone. She’s a good leader, my sis is. She wouldn’ do that, ‘specially not when the season’s jus’ started.”  
  
_Oh yeah._ This year’s Gym Challenge season’s been underway for about a week now. She went to the opening ceremony to offer emotional support to Leon, who was doing the opening speech in his role as interim chairman. It wasn’t exactly the most romantic of dates, not when she got harassed by more paparazzi nuisances asking her about her pregnancy (she’d just hit her twenty-eighth week and she feels sluggish and big enough as it is without having some stuck up nosy arseholes asking her about it) but the evening they spent together in the Budew Drop Inn after that more than made up for it.

She’s not a Gym Leader so she cannot say for sure if that’s normal for Gym Leaders to just leave their Gyms for days on end when they know challengers are coming. She knows Nessa and Milo will travel down to Motostoke to see off anybody who manages to beat Kabu and she knows Opal used to wander sometimes but never for longer than a few hours and they were always contactable in case a challenger turned up seeking a battle. Though Spikemuth was the second-to-last Gym and therefore wouldn’t have much need to worry about challengers arriving within the span of a week, but if Piers says this isn’t normal for her…

“She left her phone?” Sonia asks.

Piers nods, “Yeah.”

“And her Pokémon?” Gran continues, “Where are they?”

“Most of ‘em are at home. She didn’ take ‘em. That ain’t like her either. The only one that ain’t at home is her Morpeko.”  
  
Sonia bites her lip – Hop is almost certainly going to be worried when she tells him since he’s pretty good friends with Marnie, “She’s definitely not in Spikemuth?”  
  
“If she were in Spikemuth I wouldn’ be here talking to you,” he says with a hard edge to his voice. _Of course, that was a stupid question._ “I know she’s mates with Gloria an’ that Gym Leader boy from Ballonlea, but neither of ‘em’s seen her,” he continues, “I know she gets on good with the ex-Champ’s brother so thought I’d ask.”

“I don’t think he’s seen her but I can ask him. I haven’t seen her though,” her fingers automatically find their way into her ponytail and twists her hair in anxiety, “I hope she turns up safe.”  
  
“Thanks,” Piers wrings his hands slightly in front of him, “Jus’… if you do see her, tell her to come home. Tell her I’m worried sick.”

“I will,” she licks her lips, unsure if she should ask but eventually she decides to, “Does anyone else know? Raihan? Leon?”

She sees something flash in his eyes – something that looks like hurt and anger – but it’s gone before she can even question it, “Aye. I told Raihan a couple o’ days ago, he’s been keepin’ a look out for her. He told your fella abou’ it.”

“What did he say?”  
  
“Jus’ that he’d keep an eye out for her an’ told me to try not to worry too much. Said if she don’t turn up perhaps I coul’ fill in for her while he gets people lookin’,” Piers scoffs. Sonia can feel the underlying distaste towards her boyfriend in his words, “Look, I know my sis. I know she’s tough – way tougher than me. Bu’ this ain’t like her. Somethin’ about this don’t feel right.”

Sonia doesn’t know what to say. She wants to reassure him but she’s not sure how to – she doesn’t really know Marnie _that_ well aside from the conversation they had at Nessa’s party and she realizes with a pang of guilt that the only reason she was even involved in that conversation to begin with was because she was with Gloria and Hop. The only thing she knows for certain is that the girl is more than capable as a trainer – she made it to the semi-finals the year Gloria became Champion and she wouldn’t have been able to take over the Spikemuth Gym if there were any doubts about how strong she was. She also knows that saying that won’t stop Piers from worrying about her. It really isn’t much different from Leon and Hop’s relationship in that regard – no matter how strong Hop and Marnie might be, it won’t stop their older brothers from wanting to protect them as best they can.

Gran smiles softly at him and states, “The two of you are close.”

“Of course we are, I practic’ly raised her… Anyway, better be off,” Piers mumbles, sticking his hands into his pockets and staring at the floor, “Gonna keep doin’ the rounds. Don’ wanna put anyone out bu’… jus’ ask that Hop for me, will ya? Ask him if he’s seen her. Please.”

“Of course I will,” Sonia replies, her throat beginning to feel dry.

* * *

When Hop comes in for his afternoon shift, it turns out he hasn’t seen her either and as soon as he finds out she might be missing he starts becoming restless, bouncing up and down on his heels and chewing his lip. Sonia knew what was probably going through the boy’s mind – he wanted to help look for her. The same restless feeling that led to her wanting to investigate who might have been targetting her assistant seems to have gripped him at present as he can’t seem to tear his mind away from her.

“She’s really serious about running that gym,” Hop says as he paces up and down the lab floor, “Piers is right. She wouldn’t just leave and stay away for as long as this without all of her Pokémon with her.”

She can see he’s not going to be able to keep his mind on his studies so she allows him to call Gloria, if only because maybe she might be able to help ease some of his anxiety about the matter. Only it doesn’t work out like that because not even five minutes into the call he emerges again looking flushed and more fretful than before, “Glor’s _really_ worried, Sonia. She wants to go out looking for her.”

She knows what he’s asking of her. She doesn’t need to be a mind reader to know that Hop wants to join the search and although part of her wants to reassure him that it would all be okay and that his friend was more than capable of taking care of herself, she knows that it’d be pointless – Hop would go with or without her permission. She at least appreciates the fact that he’s letting her know now rather than just disappearing on her because the last thing she needs is for her assistant to go missing as well, especially if someone out there has it out for him.

She responds quietly, “She’s your friend. Go. But tell Leon and your mum what you’re up to. And keep in touch.”

He beams widely, quickly approaching her and hugging her, “I will! Thank you!”

“No need to thank me,” she chuckles before adopting a more serious expression, “But… stay safe. Maybe you and Gloria can ask if that Bede wants to search as well, since he’s friends with her too. Three pairs of eyes are better than two.”

Hop frowns slightly, his nose wrinkled in distaste, “I didn’t know she was friends with _him_.”

“Piers said she was.”

“Oh,” Hop chews his lip slightly, looking a little uncomfortable.

It makes Sonia concerned, “Are you alright?”  
  
“Yeah, just…” he rubs the back of his head awkwardly, “me and him aren’t exactly on good terms.”

“I know,” she also knows that she’d work with anybody no matter how much she didn’t get on with them if it meant keeping him or anyone else she cares about safe, “It was just an idea.”

“Yeah… yeah, I’ll talk to Gloria about it. See what she says.”

“Okay,” she brings him in for another hug, squeezing him tightly around shoulders, “Good luck and stay safe.”

He leaves almost immediately, throwing his hoodie around his shoulders and tearing out of the door at an insane speed. She hopes he’s going home to his mum first. Perhaps she ought to send a text to Leon to forewarn him of Hop’s plans. She doesn’t want the two brothers to end up sending each other mixed messages and upsetting each other again. Gran had gone home at lunch time so she’s on her own anyway. She really needs to talk to _somebody._

So she picks up her phone and sends him a text.

 ** _Sonia:_ ** **We** **heard about Marnie. Hop wants to go look for her.**

She doesn’t expect a quick reply – he’s probably busy. As interim chairman, one of the Gym Leaders mysteriously vanishing is almost certainly going to be a matter he’ll need to deal with (on top of all the other stuff he needs to take care of, like the Battle Tower). In the past Spikemuth’s Gym wasn’t regarded as highly as any of the others, to the point that nobody batted an eyelid when Piers wouldn’t turn up to opening ceremonies but nowadays it’s gained a lot more attention and support from fans, especially since Marnie took over as Gym Leader after her brilliant show at the semi-finals and since Gloria asked her to be her official battle partner for double battles. The sponsors may well be panicking about one of their new stars disappearing so it’ll be his job to appease them. She doesn’t envy him.

However he does reply quite quickly in the form of a phone call, and she’s taken slightly aback by it.

“Hi.”

“Hey,” he sounds stressed and tired, “tell Hop it’s being taken care of. People are being sent out to look for her.”

“Tell him yourself. He’s going to call you in a bit but I don’t think you’re going to change his mind on going to look for her himself.”

“I figured as much,” he sounds grim, “Gloria’s said she’s going to look too so I’m not surprised. I’m going to start looking too. I’m heading down to Route 10 this evening.”

Sonia isn’t surprised by that. Leon has never been one to sit out on the action. The one time he did was the incident with the weirdo twins (because he still needed to sort out Rose’s mess) and he’d ended up being sincerely disappointed that he’d missed out on it. It sometimes makes her wonder if the whole saving Galar thing wasn’t just out of a sense of duty but because he enjoyed it. He’s always had a bit of a hero complex after all.

“Are you worried?” she asks, the words spilling out of her mouth before she can stop them.

“I’m not sure,” he admits, “A bit concerned, definitely. I’ve got to trust Piers and Gloria when they say that her being gone this long during the season isn’t normal. I know if it were Hop I’d be losing my mind way before this point. How Piers has held it together this well… I don’t know. I couldn’t do it.”

“Yeah. Poor bloke.”

“We’ll find her though. I’m sure we will. So don’t you go feeling like you need to come and join in the search, okay? Stay home and look after yourself.”

She smiles lightly, “I wasn’t going to, don’t worry. I trust you lot to handle yourselves.”

He seems to let out a sigh of relief, “Good. Anyway, I’d better go.”

“Yeah. Hop might be trying to get a hold of you.”

“I love you.”

 _I’ll never get tired of hearing that._ “Love you too. Stay safe.”

She ends the call and puts the phone down, letting out a sigh as Yamper waddles up next to her and nudges her leg with a soft whine. She can’t help but smile at him as she leans down and scoops him into her arms. He’s starting to become a heavy pooch and she probably shouldn’t be lifting him at all, but she’s sure it’ll be okay since she’s literally about to go and sit down anyway. In the corner of the room she hears Applin’s Quick Ball open and before she can even react the little dragon’s scooting across the floor towards her, bouncing up and down and expressing its desire to be picked up too.

“What am I going to do with you two?” she asks fondly as she lifts Applin onto her desk (as best as she can with Yamper on her lap anyway). Applin replies with a small chirp as it nestles down into some of her paperwork, while Yamper lifts his head to press his nose against her stomach. She giggles, “Thanks for being here though. Things have definitely taken a bit of a turn for the worst.”

She chews her lip, running one of her hands down Yamper’s furry back before she exhales in mild frustration, “I hate sitting on my bum doing nothing while they’re all out there doing _something_.”

A thought flickers into her mind briefly but she quickly pushes it away – she’d told Leon she wouldn’t get involved and besides, as much as it hurt to admit it, she probably wouldn’t be able to help as much as she’d like. She’s not strong like Leon, Hop and Gloria are.

But if she just so happened to take a walk down to the Slumbering Weald to do some research, who would know any better? Besides, it’s been a while since she’s taken out both of her Pokémon for a nice long walk. That way she’ll at least feel like she’s doing something rather than being a useless dead weight. Yes, that’s what she’ll do.

“Fancy a walk?” she asks and Yamper yips in excitement, leaping off of her lap and running around in a circle. Applin glances at her for a few seconds from the desk but eventually seems to agree by jerking its body forward (which Sonia has learnt is the little dragon’s way of nodding). With a smile, she stuffs their Poké Ball and Quick Ball into her bag and leaves the lab, locking the door behind her with a self-satisfied smile before she makes her way towards Postwick.

She doesn’t see Hop on the way and that’s probably for the best as the boy’s too smart for his own good. He would be able to cotton on to what she was up to and would try and talk her out of it. Perhaps that would be a good thing though. Perhaps she shouldn’t be doing this. But no, it’s fine. The Slumbering Weald is not a strange place to her any more, not since Zacian and Zamazenta reawakened. It still carries its dangers (namely strong Pokémon), but it’s really not much different to any other forest in that regard (it’s just a big foggier) and Yamper’s at a high enough level to deal with any wild Pokémon that she might stumble across (he’s already proven that). Luckily Gloria’s mum isn’t around either so she’s able to climb over the gate without garnering any attention.

She can’t help but smile as she gazes up at the entrance to the Weald. This was where she and Leon had first met all those years ago when she was eight years old. She could remember it as clearly as if it were yesterday. She’d not long moved to Galar and had been desperate to find a place to relax and think and just _be_ – a place that reminded her of her former home. When she’d heard of the Slumbering Weald it sounded just like a place that she always used to frequent – and she’d wanted to investigate. She’d taken such care too to make sure she wasn’t drawing attention to herself, but it didn’t stop a certain purple-haired boy from following her out of concern for her safety.

_He’d cared about me at a time when it felt like nobody else did. He didn’t even **know** me. _

She didn’t go in there again until she was an adult and there were things she wanted to investigate. That was when Gloria and Hop discovered the sword and shield which would eventually lead to Zacian and Zamazenta saving them all from the second Darkest Day and then subsequently joining forces with the two youngsters. Since then she’s been in there a couple of times, examining the environment and making notes and thesis's and the like. Since nobody had ever really ventured in there before everything kicked off there were a lot of things people still didn’t know about the place - things _she_ didn’t know but wanted to learn about now that she’s at a high enough level to handle the wild Pokémon in there.

_Things have changed a lot since I first came here._

Yamper barks, dragging her out of her thoughts and she can’t help but giggle, bending down to give her dear friend some well-deserved pets, “I know. I’m sorry. I’m just… remembering some things.”

Applin squeaks, bouncing upwards to nudge its head against her other hand, seeming to plead for attention as well and she grants its wish, gently tickling its back with her fingers.

“Let’s go and have a look around, shall we?”

* * *

The Slumbering Weald produces no results, much to Sonia’s disappointment. She perhaps shouldn’t be so surprised that that’s the case though. Marnie has no connections to Postwick outside of Hop and Gloria, and if she wanted to see Hop she’d let him know surely. It’s not like Hop’s much of a blabbermouth – granted, he tells Leon nearly everything but he’s proven that if the subject matter’s serious or personal enough he’ll keep it to himself. At most he’d probably ask her to consider getting in contact with Piers and letting him know that she was okay. But then again, would she even be okay with _that?_

She doesn’t know. All she knows is that Marnie is definitely nowhere to be found in the Slumbering Weald. Well, that’s one place she can cross off Hop’s list. She’ll probably text him to tell him she walked Yamper and Applin around there later on – she’s not much in the mood for a lecture but if she disguises it as just a walk he shouldn’t suspect too much.

“I hope they find her,” she mumbles as she returns to her lab to hang up her lab coat and collect her favourite brown jacket. She doesn’t notice anything untoward once she gets inside, so she briefly checks on the power spot tracking machine and it’s only then that she notices something unusual.

A higher than usual energy spike is registering at Turrfield.

Sonia’s eyebrows knit together in concern. _Does Milo know?_

She debates sending him a text (for all she knows he’s probably already well aware). She knows what a normal energy spike at a hot spot looks like – it’s usually quite a small spike in comparison mostly because the Dynamax bands belonging to trainers are able to assist in controlling the energy around dynamaxed Pokémon. It’s only when a Dynamax happens uncontrollably that the levels spike like _this._ She hesitates, but then promptly picks up her phone and writes out a text – luckily she still has Milo’s number.

She gets a reply pretty quickly.

 _**Milo:** _**Rogue dynamax** **tsareena** **,** **n** **othing I cant handle**

She chews her lip. Everything seems to be happening at the moment. She wonders vaguely if Marnie’s disappearance is linked but it’s unlikely. The girl apparently left of her own accord. She wonders if she should ask if he’s seen her but ultimately she realizes that with everything going on it’s likely all of the Gym Leaders are probably aware by this point and will be looking as well, so she leaves it.

Still, why would a _Pokémon_ suddenly dynamax and go rogue? All of the Wishing Stars the weirdo twins took were returned to her lab, weren’t they? She gets to her feet quickly, making her way along the corridor into the back room where she keeps them all under tight lock and key (cannot be too careful, especially not since last time). She fiddles with the key in the lock before she hits the right mark and the door swings open.

All still accounted for.

_Good._

But then why would a Pokémon uncontrollably dynamax? Are there still Wishing Stars out there? Or is it something else? Her head’s starting to hurt.

She feels one (or maybe both, she still cannot quite tell) of her twins starting to kick – presumably because she’s stopped moving so they’re no longer being rocked to sleep – she’s figured out that’s why they’re more active at night hence why she’s been struggling to sleep lately. She knows that’s not going to get much better either, especially not once they’re here. Still, that seems so far away, especially with everything that is happening now.

She lets out a sigh and returns to the main lab area, recalling Yamper and Applin to their Poké Ball and Quick Ball – they’re blatantly tired as they’re snuggled together on the floor, drifting in and out of sleep.

She hears the letterbox go and frowns. _A bit of an odd time to be delivering junk mail,_ she thinks, but she trudges along towards the door anyway, putting the Balls into her pocket before twisting her free red hair around her finger. She’s not sure why, but she feels a strange sense of trepidation. Like something’s not right. It feels like it did when she and Leon parted ways on their first date. Like she’s being _watched._

Perhaps she should call Yamper back out.

_No, it’s fine. It’s just because of everything that’s going on. It’s putting you on edge. Probably just someone delivering junk mail or one of those rubbish catalogues._

She reaches the door to find an envelope at the bottom of her door. Just one. She tentatively reaches down to pick it up. There’s no address on it, no name, nothing. It’s completely blank bar from tinges of pink ink smeared on the top right corner of the envelope, and when she sees it she feels her heart begin to race in her chest.

Why did her stupid anxiety have to be _right?_

With shaking fingers she opens the envelope and pulls out a folded strip of paper, which is also smeared with pink ink across the middle where it had been folded in half. She opens the paper and _of course_ there are more words there, though less cryptic than before but in that same colour of ink and that same rough font.

This time, it’s a straightforward threat.

‘ **I WILL MAKE YOU HURT** **LIKE I DID** **.’**

She quickly throws open the door, slamming the door behind her without locking it and rushing outside before she can even stop to consider if it’s a good idea. She tears down the street, stopping only to question a rather anxious looking old man and he’s seen nothing as he’s just left his home for a trip to the shops. She carries on past the train station, asking everyone she sees if they’ve seen something, _anything_ suspicious and each and every time she gets a confused no.

She eventually stops, feeling her chest tighten in exhaustion. She can’t run any more, she’s too tired and out of breath. At least the twins aren’t moving – all the running no doubt has rocked them back to sleep. She glances back over Wedgehurst, a distinct feeling filling her chest of fear and distrust. Every incident relating to this note-giver has happened in Wedgehurst or Postwick. Is it reasonable to suspect that there’s a chance somebody _here_ did this? Could it be she was wrong and Hop _isn’t_ the target after all? But then _why_ would they break into his mum’s house? Arceus, her head really hurts and she’s so confused and scared and more than ever she just wants Leon _here_ with her.

But he isn’t and he can’t be, at least not right now. He’s busy searching for Marnie. Hop and Gloria are also out looking for her. It almost makes her feel resentful – why did Marnie have to disappear _now?_

Perhaps she _should_ let Yamper out. She knows he’s tired but still, it’ll make her feel better if she has someone or something she can trust there with her.

So she does.

Yamper yawns but once he spots the note in Sonia’s hand he lets out a low growl, shifting into a protective stance. She smiles weakly. People often underestimate him because he’s not fully evolved but he’s a tough little guy and he’ll damn well do his best to keep her and her unborn twins safe.

“We need to go and lock up the lab,” she says shakily, “Then we’ll go home, okay? Maybe… maybe Gran might have some ideas on… _this._ ”

So that’s what they do. That’s all they _can_ do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shit is definitely starting to hit the fan! :D
> 
> I'm not sure about the whole dynamaxing thing but I kind of had this thought, like, that's such a sudden change in appearance and power that maybe it might cause a loss of control if the trainer isn't in full control of themselves? I don't know, I just kind of added it in as a spur of the moment. ^^; It's an interesting theory at least.


	18. Stress

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She scowls at him, “Pack it in.”
> 
> He continues to smile even though he doesn’t really feel like it, “Pack what in?”
> 
> “Playing things down,” she replies firmly, “You don’t need to hide things from me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There be smut incoming. :D

Leon rubs his brows with the palm of his hand as he gazes out of the window of the train taking him to Wedgehurst. He was planning on coming down anyway to see Sonia – at the very least he ought to give her an update and check in on her to make sure she’s safe and that the babies are well – but getting a phone call from her recently about the reappearance of the mysterious note-giver is a matter he feels he needs to look into. This prick is out for somebody he cares about after all and the sooner they’re found the sooner he can rest a little easier knowing that his brother and girlfriend will both be safer.

It has been over a week since Marnie’s disappearance. A week with no news, no signs of her whereabouts and no ideas on where she could have gone. Piers had claimed that Marnie could have a hell of a temper on her when she got angry, but is it even possible for someone to hold onto that much anger for that long? What the hell did those two even argue about anyway? He’d asked but Piers said he couldn’t remember. He’s not quite sure he believes him though, because the bloke had a shifty, almost guilty look to him when he said it and when Leon asked Raihan about it later, he’d been told firmly to drop it – that it was a deeply personal matter.

He wonders if Rose had to put up with this much shit (when he wasn’t the one causing the trouble, that is). Probably not, he had an assistant to do all that for him. He’ll be glad when they’ve found a new permanent chairman, then he won’t have to split his focus between the Battle Tower and this. Then he can focus more on what matters most to him – the people he cares about and battling.

The train finally pulls into Wedgehurst Station and he gets to his feet with a sigh. He could’ve flown down but he’d opted against it – he thought he might be able to grab a quick nap or something on the train. Unfortunately it didn’t work out that way – too many people recognized him and asked him for autographs and he’s not the type to say no. It’s not necessarily _their_ fault he’s tired after all.

He shoots Sonia a quick text to let her know he’s arrived. He knew she would be meeting him outside the station even though he’d have felt a lot more comfortable if she’d stayed at home. He didn’t want her putting herself out, especially not with everything that’s been going on. Still, there’s only so much he can talk her out of. She hadn’t even been expecting a visit – she’d thought he would be too busy trying to locate Marnie – so when he’d told her that he’d be coming to see her she’d insisted she’d be there to greet him.

She looks tired when he finally sees her, like she hasn’t properly slept since the latest note dropped. He can’t blame her – he hasn’t been sleeping brilliantly either. He raises a hand to greet her and to his surprise she hurries forward, immediately curling her arms around his waist and burying her face in his chest while exhaling. A part of him wants to chuckle or make a joke, but given how she looks he reasons that perhaps it might not be a bright idea. It doesn’t help that her hormones have been getting crazier (or at least he thinks that might be a contributing factor).

Finally she pulls back and looks at him with a weak smile, “Hi.”

“Hey, how have you been?”  
  
“Tired,” she sighs, her fingers finding her loose red hairs and fiddling with them, “Worried about all of you lot. Has Hop been keeping in touch with you?”  
  
“Yeah, we spoke last night,” he runs a hand through his hair, “He and Gloria have been up and down the Wild Area but they haven’t found Marnie anywhere.”

“What about the Gym Leaders? Have they found anything?”

“Nothing, and the sponsors adore her so they’ve been going mad,” he rubs his eyes, “I haven’t had much in the way of peaceful moments. I think I pissed Piers off because I suggested that if she isn’t found before challengers start turning up in Spikemuth then he might have to act in her place as the Spikemuth Gym Leader. I don’t blame him because he’s said he’s done with all that and I know he just wants to be out there looking for her – I’d be the same – but I can’t exactly put a stop to the whole challenge over it either.”

She winces, biting her lip, “Rock and a hard place, eh?”

“Tell me about it,” he groans, “Then there’s this.”

“Yeah.”

“Has anything happened since?”  
  
“No. I’ve been out a few times walking Yamper but I haven’t seen anyone looking suspicious either.”

He doesn’t question if she’s been walking Yamper while intentionally keeping an eye out for the arsehole that keeps leaving notes. He knows her well enough to recognize that’s what the purpose of those walks are, but if he questions it he might end up with her arguing with him and he’s far too tired for that. Yamper might be small, but he’s stronger than people think, so he’s just going to have to assume she’ll be fine.

They begin to make the slow trek back to his mother’s house. It made the most sense to go there instead to talk given that he wanted to check in on her and his grandparents as well, especially as the note-giver targetted their home last time. He’s heard from Sonia that his mum’s been spending a lot of time out of the house with Gloria’s mother Chris, and it’s good that she’s at least got somebody to lean on. Then again, they’d always been good friends – it’s a big reason why Hop and Gloria grew so close to begin with.

“I’m sorry I won’t be able to stay for the whole weekend,” he sighs sadly, but before he can start to go more into his apology Sonia has cut him off with a squeeze of his hand and a tired but cheeky grin, “I know. It’s fine. I get it. No need to apologize.”

He chews the inside of his lip, “Did you bring the note?”  
  
She nods quietly, “Yeah. It’s in my bag.”

“Good.”

He needs to see it for himself. Granted it probably won’t tell him anything new but at least by seeing it with his own eyes he’ll have a mental image to hang onto – something to spur him on. It’s not like the police haven’t been informed – they’ve said they’re keeping an eye out and he really hopes that is the case.

But he can’t and won’t sit back when someone he loves is being threatened.

* * *

“So what do you think?” Sonia asks him after they’ve settled into his old bedroom. He’s glad that his mother’s gone out – at least there’s no risk of her walking into this conversation. The last thing he wants is to cause her any worry.

He runs a hand through his hair again, “Honestly, I don’t know. We shouldn’t rule out that whoever it is has a problem with Hop but…”

“But what?”

“I can’t shake the feeling that it might be something different,” he murmurs, his shoulders tensing as he squeezes the note in his hand, “Call it a hunch. But either they’re not watching Hop as closely as they’re making it seem or-”

“He’s not the target,” Sonia finishes, her stomach filling with dread even in spite of her daughters furiously kicking inside of her, “And if he’s not the target, who is?”  
  
He looks at her again with pained, worried eyes because the thought has occurred to him multiple times since she’s told him about this latest note – and perhaps it _is_ all just anxiety brought on by all of the stress but it’s still a fear he cannot shake, “I don’t know. Maybe you.”

Sonia frowns, “But then why go after your mum’s house?”

“Maybe because Hop’s someone you care about?” he replies quietly.

She rests her hand on her palm thoughtfully, “But then they’d have gone after my grandparents surely? Or you?”

“Good point,” he groans, rubbing his head in frustration, “Have either of them said anything?”  
  
“No,” Sonia replies quietly, “I know Gran would probably try and keep it from me anyway. She doesn’t want me getting stressed because of these two,” she gestures to her belly, “but even then I’d know if something wasn’t right. Granddad’s pretty easy to read and Gran wouldn’t keep something like that from him.”

He nods slowly. That makes sense – Sonia’s said her Gran’s been a lot more emotionally aware than usual, “Do they know about this note?”

Sonia winces, “No. I _was_ going to tell them, the day it happened. I was going to see if Gran had any ideas on what could be going on but…”

“But what?”  
  
She grips her skirt tightly with shaking hands, “I couldn’t do it. I just… since I came out of hospital Gran’s been different. More cheerful. She’s been getting on better with Granddad. She’s a bit worried about the whole Marnie thing but otherwise she’s in a really good place mentally and… I just didn’t want to ruin her good mood or make her worry unless I know for sure that there’s something for her to worry about.”

“Right… I guess that’s reasonable.”

She smiles slightly in relief, “Thought you would have had a go at me.”

“No,” he looks at her, slightly taken aback, “I trust your judgement,” he turns away from her, looking down into his lap, “Besides, it’s not like I don’t do the same things for my family. As far as I’ve been told, mum’s got no idea about any of this either. Though I’ve been thinking… that I might _have_ to tell her, now that Hop’s not here to keep an eye on things.”

Sonia bites her lip, “But you don’t want to worry her?”

He nods quietly, clasping his hands together tightly in his lap, “Yeah. I just…” he tenses more, “everything’s been shit lately.”

She sighs sympathetically, “Tell me about it. You look stressed.”

“I feel stressed,” he grumbles before he’s hit with a pang of guilt. He really shouldn’t bother her with how stressful his day-to-day life has been. She’s got enough on her plate worrying about this note-giving twat and her pregnancy. Her latest appointment was over two weeks ago and no concerns have been flagged up, but that doesn’t mean that additional stress won’t cause any concerns later on. He plasters a smile on his face, “But you don’t need to worry about that. I’ll be fine. It’s only a matter of time before Marnie will be found and then things can kind of go back to normal. Then I can focus on helping to catch this idiot.”

She scowls at him, “Pack it in.”  
  
He continues to smile even though he doesn’t really feel like it, “Pack _what_ in?”

“Playing things down,” she replies firmly, “You don’t need to hide things from me.”

“I’m not-”

“You _are_ ,” she interrupts, frowning at him, “I know you better than most people do. I know you’re tired and that you’ve probably had enough of everything. I know you probably want to sulk or break down and cry or something. So _do it_. I’m here to listen.”

“You’ve got enough to worry about,” he responds firmly, placing a hand on her shoulder which she immediately pushes off.

“Well maybe I _want_ to worry about you, you idiot!” she snaps, “I mean, isn’t that what couples are supposed to do? Listen to each other, support each other? How can I do that if you shut me out?”

“The babies-”

“I’m not going to go into premature labour over _this_ ,” she growls though her eyes seem a little more sympathetic than before and are almost pleading with him, “For fuck’s sake, if _that_ was going to happen it’d have happened when I got that last fucking note. Honestly, I’m _pregnant_ , not _fragile_. So _tell me_ how I can help you.”

He bites the inside of his cheek, though the smile doesn’t quite fade from his face, it does become wistful, “There’s not much you can help me with, Son.”

“I can listen,” she says, leaning forward to put her hand on his, “That’s got to count for something.”

He lets out a small laugh before his face settles into a dark distant look, “Yeah, I suppose. I’m sorry Son, I just… if I have to hear one more phone call from some sponsor throwing their weight around and threatening to pull their support I might just snap at them. I haven’t had a full night’s sleep since Marnie’s vanished and the last thing I need is to hear some whiny _twat_ with too much money whinge about how this is bad for _their_ brand image and how _I’m_ not doing enough to try and find her. Like _fuck_ I’m not.”

Now he’s started he can’t stop, “I’ve been out there nearly every fucking evening in the Wild Area scouting around on Charizard. Loads of Macro Cosmos’ employees and the police are out looking for her. _Gloria’s_ out looking for her. _Hop’s_ out there looking for her and there’s a fucking lunatic out there who might possibly have it out for him and if that nutter isn’t after _him_ then he might be after my girlfriend and-”

He cuts off, feeling unable to say the thoughts that have slid into his mind and it isn’t until Sonia squeezes his hand that he finally takes a deep breath and continues, feeling utterly exhausted, “I’ve never felt so _useless_. I keep… I keep thinking about Piers and how I’d feel if it were Hop that went missing instead and… I can’t blame him. I can’t blame him for being angry at me because I’m angry at _myself_. For more reasons than I can list.”

“Like what?” she glances at him softly.

“Beyond having to ask him to take his little sister’s place when she’s missing?” he glares, “A lot of things. Mostly not being able to be around to keep you and mum safe and-”

“And what?”

“I… I keep thinking that if I’d _just_ cottoned on to what Rose was up to earlier instead of being so focused on the Championship match, the Darkest Day thing would never have happened. Or if I’d been able to catch Eternatus… then Hop and Gloria wouldn’t have _needed_ to ask for Zacian and Zamazenta’s help. Then there would’ve been no excuse for this arsehole to go after Hop because he wouldn’t have a legendary hero, if that’s even what this is about.”

“You said yourself it doesn’t feel like it is.”

“I don’t even bloody know any more,” he sighs, feeling aggravated because he _hates_ not knowing, _hates_ feeling useless and _hates_ this feeling of failure that’s filling the pit of his gut. His dad had always said he wasn’t good enough and he’s mostly proved him wrong but the one time in his life he really _needed_ to, he _failed_ , and it’s possible that said failure is continuing to bite him and the people he loves on the arse to this day.

She chews her lip slightly before she leans in and kisses him on the side of his forehead, “Does that feel better?”  
  
He sighs tiredly, “Maybe a bit.”

“Good, because I want you to listen to me now,” she inhales and exhales deeply before she starts to speak, “I can’t say I can help with the rich pricks calling you. I can’t say I blame you for feeling angry about having to ask Piers to take his sister’s place or for not being able to be here for me and your mum as much as you’d like. But _don’t_ blame yourself for the Rose thing. _Ever_.”

“I-”

“You’re only _human_ , dandelion,” she turns him to face her and she looks so fierce and protective but her eyes are shimmering as well like she wants to cry, which makes him feel bad for offloading his worries onto her even though she asked him to, “Rose fooled _everyone_.”

“But he spoke to me before-”

“I know, you told me all that, but you can’t blame yourself because you didn’t think he would do anything! You try and see the best in people and that’s _not_ a fault. _He’s_ the one that’s to blame for all of what happened because of that. For fuck’s sake, you nearly _died_ trying to fix everything on your own. So don’t you _dare_ berate yourself for not being fucking psychic or invincible.”

He smiles, letting out a weak chuckle – he’d needed to hear that. It made him feel better to know that she didn’t blame him for all that’s been happening and all that has happened, and he’s relieved that she doesn’t think any less of him.

For the first time since he’s known her he considers opening up about his father but he still feels that chain wrapped tightly around his chest, telling him that no, this isn’t the time, because he’s already told her a lot more than he ever planned on telling her. The guilt regarding Eternatus and Rose has eaten at him for ages and he’s never told anyone before now – the fact that it’s out in the open, even if it’s just to her… he needs time to let that one sit before he starts delving into the other deep stuff. Because if it hurts _this_ much just to talk about his failure to protect the people he loves from Rose and Eternatus, then he doesn’t know if he’ll be able to get through talking about his dad to Sonia without crying or something. It hurt enough talking about it with his mum, even though he kept a good lid on it around her so that she didn’t worry about him. Having to relive those memories to Sonia, someone who never met his dad and didn’t know what he was like… he’s not looking forward to that. He knows it’ll need to be done at some point… but not now.

“Sonia?”

“Yeah?”  
  
“Thanks… I definitely needed to hear that.”

“I’m surprised you got through that without crying,” she says, wiping her eyes furiously, “I’m right on the verge of _bawling_ here.”

He shrugs, “Probably your hormones again.”

“Can you stop blaming _everything_ on my hormones? It’s annoying.”

“Sorry,” he grins cheekily and it feels effortless this time, “But I’ve honestly never known you to cry so much.”

“Fuck you.”

“Hey, I won’t say no to that.”

“Cheeky bastard.”

They fall silent as he feels a good portion of the tension slowly leave his shoulders. He still feels a little bit stressed, but at least he has this moment of space to recollect his thoughts and just be with his girlfriend as Leon, not as the interim chairman desperate to find one of the region’s Gym Leaders or the former Champion who didn’t quite succeed in saving the day by himself. Not even as the owner of the Battle Tower he’s passionate about or the father of Sonia’s developing twins. He’s just Leon and she’s just Sonia and _this_ is all he wants right now, regardless of whether or not he feels he deserves it.

“You know something?” she finally says quietly and she sounds almost embarrassed and guilty.

“What?”  
  
“I actually feel really horny right now.”

He raises an eyebrow at her, “Really? _Now?_ ”

She winces, her upper teeth resting on her bottom lip as she looks ashamed, “Yeah. I know, it’s… _really_ not an appropriate time for it. Just ignore me, I’m being silly. Maybe it _is_ my hormones.”

He doesn’t want to ignore her, because now that she’s mentioned it he feels a desire beginning to burn for her in his chest and between his legs and while a part of him also feels guilty about it because with everything that’s going on he feels like he _shouldn’t_ want this, he also thinks that maybe it would help him because damn it he _needs_ her, needs to be inside of her so she can make him feel loved and not like a failure at all, “What if I said I want to as well?”

She looks surprised, “Do you?”

“Yes,” he exhales, looking at her intensely, admiring how the swell of her breasts rest on her bump and how she’s gazing at him with eyes darkening and full of want, her fingers slowly twisting some strands of her red hair, “I do.”

He’s not able to make a remark or even think about anything else as she almost immediately lunges at him, her lips capturing his in a fiercely passionate kiss that almost certainly makes him wish he was inside of her right this damn second. Her hand instantly slips between his legs and paws at him through the fabric of his trousers, causing him to let out a small moan into her mouth while his hands run through her hair. He slides his tongue across her mouth and her mouth opens for him almost immediately, and now they’re snogging again, which is always something he can never get enough of. She pushes him back onto his bed, but it seems like she’s miscalculated his position because his head hits the headboard causing her to pull back with a small gasp, “Are you okay? I’m sorry, I-”

“S’fine,” he groans (and it really is, he can barely feel any pain because he’s too distracted), pulling her down on top of him, relishing in the squeak she lets out as she’s caught off guard and falls against his chest, before he pushes his lips against hers again, and his hands are back in her hair and it’s almost like nothing happened, as if he’d fallen back into the right place the first time. Her hands drift down his arms, giving them a light squeeze before she starts shifting her fingers downwards, eventually grabbing the bottom of his shirt and pulling on it, a clear message that she wants it off and she wants it off _now_. How could he not acquiesce?

Once that’s off he’s on his back again though Sonia doesn’t lean back down to kiss him – she pulls her own shirt off and throws it to one side and he licks his lips because damn he loves it when she does that, and even though a part of it feels strange because this is his _childhood room_ and they’d spent a lot of time in here when they were kids, it also feels _right_ , like they’ve come full circle. She moves to take her bra off but he gently grabs at her arm, “No, leave it on. Just… just for a minute.”

She giggles slightly, looking a tad confused because he hasn’t really made this request of her before but she listens, her hands moving back down to glide across his chest, stopping at his nipples to give them a tweak which causes him to moan again. She grins cheekily, “I can’t get enough of you making those sounds.”

He doesn’t have anything to say to that, not straight away. It isn’t until she’s pressing her lips to his again that the thought crosses his mind that perhaps he could have said that he’ll only ever make those noises for her, his naughty girl, but as soon as he thinks of it it’s gone again as his mind and body seem to be consumed by her, his skin feeling hot and tingly wherever she touched him. Now she’s fiddling with his trousers and it’s taking every ounce of self-restraint not to just yank them down himself.

“Son-” he starts as soon as she pulls away but she places a finger against his lips, silencing him instantly.

“I want to take care of you,” she whispers tenderly, “Lift.”

He obeys, lifting his bottom off of the bed to allow Sonia to pull his trousers off with little effort, a shiver travelling through him at the way she commands him. He’s not sure why, but he likes it when she gives him instructions like this, firmly but softly – like she’s the one in charge, and for a moment he briefly wonders what it’d be like if he just handed all control over this sexual encounter over to her and let her do as she wants with him. The thought makes him excited. He lifts again when she tells him to so she can remove his boxers.

She leans over him again, resting so close to his cock that it makes him want to whine again, and she’s hesitating slightly, “I… I want to ride you.”

He inhales deeply, “Okay.”

“I mean,” she chews her lip again and she looks almost guilty, “I _think_ I’m probably going to be too big to be on the bottom now.”

He takes her appearance in and he can see her point. As sexy as she is, her belly has definitely grown quite large now and while he probably _could_ manage to fuck her with her underneath him, it may not be comfortable for either of them. At the same time though, he doesn’t really want to say anything that might cause her any upset about the weight she’s gained either, so he croaks, “You can do anything you want to me.”

She raises an eyebrow, clearly surprised, “Are you sure?”

He nods, trying hard to swallow the lump in his throat down. Fuck it, they’re both here and he wants her to take charge, so why not? “Please.”

She nods slowly but instead of guiding him into her like he was expecting, instead she gets off of him, moving backwards down the bed and he frowns slightly – he hasn’t scared her off, has he? Every other sexual encounter they’ve had has been pretty evenly contributed to, though perhaps with him taking the lead a little more often than her because he’s got a bit more experience, so perhaps it might be too much to ask her to be solely in charge. He’s about to ask her if that’s the case but before the words can leave his mouth her lips are wrapped around his cock, causing him to let out a pleasantly surprised moan as her tongue glides underneath his length up to the tip and back down again. She’s only done this to him twice before but _damn_ she’s good at it.

“Fuck,” he groans, his hands finding the back of her head again with his fingers entangling in her red locks, “Sonia-”

He leans upwards slightly, just enough to get a clearer view of her and it’s gorgeous, watching her suck and lick at him while her fingers seem to have found their way into her opening, thrusting in and out. He can’t deny he wants to do that to her himself, but watching her fuck herself also seems to have an effect on him, especially as she’s moaning on his cock, alternating between licking and sucking. He knows that if she keeps this up he’ll almost certainly climax in her mouth and while he won’t object to that if it’s what she wants him to do, a part of him _really_ wants to be inside of her while looking into her eyes. She’s also somehow managed to take her bra off and the sight of her bare breasts pressed against his legs is also a tantalising sight that he doesn’t think he’ll ever get enough of.

“Son-” he begins again, bucking his hips into her mouth because he’s _close_ , “nnngghhh…”

She pulls off of him and he lets out a sigh of disappointment as he watches her rub her jaw, “Sorry,” she says, “I just… I want to-”

“I know,” he pants before he leans forward slightly to grab at her hips, “Go on then.”

She doesn’t hesitate this time as his hand grabs his cock and holds it upwards so she can slide down on it, and when she does he lets out another groan deep in his throat because they’ve never done this before and it feels _so good_. Neither of them move as she settles on top of him, appearing almost awkward as she flushes a deep shade of pink, “I… I’ve never done this before.”

“Just do what feels right,” he murmurs, and she nods before she starts moving. Up and down, forward and backward, almost grinding on him and it feels nice – not as good as it feels when he’s straight up sliding in and out of her but it’s still so very enjoyable, especially because Sonia starts letting out small but very enthusiastic moans. Her hands grab at his chest as she starts to speed up, her moans becoming more intense and even though part of him wishes that she was bouncing rather than grinding he cannot deny he’s still getting off on this because he _loves_ seeing her enjoying herself like this, _loves_ the way she’s using him to pleasure herself. He certainly wouldn’t dream of stopping her.

“T-there…” she moans, her pitch beginning to raise, “J-just… oh _f-fuck_ , my legs ache…”

“You can do it,” he grunts as he thrusts upwards, “Just… want you to come… nggh, I can take over in a minute…”

She doesn’t stop and he feels so proud of her because he can only imagine how much her legs must ache but he knows that the enjoyment she’s getting from this must be more than enough to spur her on because her moans and pants are getting louder and higher-pitched and he can feel her tightening around him. In no time she lets out a loud cry, louder than anything he’s heard from her before as she’s reached her climax. He feels her go boneless above him, and while a part of him wants to ask her to bounce on him, it’s clear she’s exhausted so he doesn’t. _Maybe next time._

“Here, let me…”

“No, I want to take care of you,” she whines, but he insists, sitting up so she’s in his lap and stroking her face.

“You already are.”

She gasps, her hands resting on her bump while she’s looking down at it, “Okay… but… I’m still a bit too big to-”

“I can manage.”

“Maybe,” she pauses, chewing her lip again, “if you think you can.”

“Oh, I _know_ I can,” he growls, shifting himself and her backwards a bit so that he can lie her down comfortably on his bed without her head hanging off of it. He doesn’t lie down on top of her, instead choosing to stay upright, his arms grabbing one of her legs and resting her foot on his shoulder before he drives into her again, causing her to let out a strangled cry, something he wasn’t expecting.

“I love you so bloody much,” he moans, gripping her hips and slamming into her fiercely, “You are so – _fucking_ – beautiful!”

“Leon,” she pants, “I-”

“What?”

“Don’t stop,” she whines as she shifts on her back, curving her hips upwards to allow him to go deeper, “Please…”

“Are you seriously going to come again?”  
  
“I think so,” she groans, tilting her head back and closing her eyes, “Just… keep going.”

“I’m pretty close, Son.”

“Just… I’m nearly there again, _please_ …”

How he manages to not ejaculate just from her begging he doesn’t know, but he manages to hold out _just_ long enough for her to reach her second peak and he immediately releases into her afterwards, pressing himself as far into her as he can get before gently lifting her foot back off of his shoulder. He feels the muscles in his legs ache as he pulls out and leans forward to give her a gentle kiss.

“I love you,” she whispers, stroking his trimmed beard and gazing at him softly.

“I love you too,” he grins, stroking sweaty strands of hair out of her face, “Let’s do this again sometime.”

She laughs as she slowly gets to her feet and begins to wobble towards the toilet – something to do with how recently her gran has told her that she should always have a wee after sex to decrease the risk of urinary tract infections. He’s not sure if that’s true but it can’t hurt to do it. Perhaps he should do so as well, but he’s so damn tired that he thinks he might just pass out naked on his childhood bed.

When she’s done in the toilet she returns, grabbing her shirt, knickers and bra and starting to put them back on, her skirt still hanging loosely around her hips, “You still look knackered.”

“I’m surprised you aren’t,” he remarks cheekily, “I’m not the one who came _twice_.”

She flushes but still manages to look defiant, “Yeah, well, that’s an advantage of being a woman, isn’t it? Multiple orgasms.”

He snorts as she crawls back into bed next to him, “I guess so.”

“I probably should get dressed in case mum comes back,” he murmurs as he curls an arm around her shoulder and she tucks her head into his neck, “But I’m just so _comfortable_.”

“ _I’m_ not dressing you,” she quips saucily while he nuzzles her cheek.

“I know,” he sighs, reluctantly getting up while his body seems to yell in protest, “I’ll do it now. Then I can relax.”

So he does, sloppily putting his now creased shirt on over his head and pulling his boxers and trousers back on. Then he curls up next to Sonia again and sighs softly, stroking her hair again, “You’re right. I _am_ pretty knackered.”

“Have a nap,” she mumbles, “I’ll still be here.”

“But I want to spend time with you.”

“You’re not much fun to spend time with when you’re tired, no offense,” she states firmly, though still with a soft smile on her face, “Get some sleep.”

“Fine,” he grumbles, rolling onto his side and closing his eyes reluctantly. Perhaps she must have been right though, because he falls asleep pretty quickly.

* * *

Sonia smiles down at Leon’s sleeping form as she runs her fingers gently through his hair, making sure to avoid any knots so that she doesn’t disturb him. She doubts she’ll be able to anyway, because he’s out like a light and snoring softly. The poor bloke must be totally exhausted.

She can’t begin to imagine how stressed he’s been this past week, though she’s glad that he was able to offload onto her about what he was feeling. It feels nice to know that he loves and trusts her enough to tell her these things, even though it makes her sad and angry to think that he still feels guilty because of what Rose did. Another thing to add onto her gradually lengthening list of reasons to hate that bastard.

She sees Leon’s phone begin to vibrate on the side table and she lets out an exasperated sigh as she quickly scoops it up and leaves the room before he can be disturbed. She swears if it’s one of those sponsors or someone from Macro Cosmos then she’s going to give them what for because even if he _is_ technically the acting chairman he’s also only human and he _can’t_ function all of the time. Heck, with how fiercely protective she feels over him at this moment she might even have a go at Piers or Raihan if it’s either of them, because as much as she feels bad for Piers none of this or _any_ other issues the former Spikemuth Gym Leader has is Leon’s fault, and she’s just sick of her boyfriend having to take the brunt of everything because his own boyfriend seems to have been kind of useless at showing him affection.

But it isn’t either of them or an unknown number. It’s Gloria. Confused, she answers, “Hey.”

“Oh, Sonia!” the girl replies in a surprised tone on the other end of the phone – wherever it is, it sounds windy, “I… where’s Leon?”  
  
“Sleeping,” she says a little more sharply than she’d intended, “What’s wrong?”  
  
“Oh, it’s just… I’m on Hammerlocke Hills right now, you know, looking for Marnie and… I’ve found something. I just wanted to let Leon know.”

“Okay.”  
  
“You don’t need to wake him or anything but if you could just let him know that… I’ve found Marnie’s Morpeko. She’s… she’s been hurt pretty badly. I’m going to take her to the nearest Pokémon Centre.”

“And Marnie?”  
  
“Still nothing. I’m really worried, Sonia. Wherever she is she’s got _none_ of her Pokémon with her. She’s not the type of person to be beaten that easily, even with just Morpeko so I keep thinking-” the girl hesitates before continuing in a small voice, “What if this has something to do with the person who keeps leaving notes for Hop?”

She doesn’t answer. It’s not that the thought hasn’t crossed her mind but none of it seemed to make sense so she just assumed that the two events were separate. But if she’s wrong and they _are_ linked… then how?

And why?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh shit, poor Marnie. :(
> 
> Thanks again for the comments and such, I really do appreciate each and every one of you. <3


	19. Calm Before The Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He’s not like Rose. He doesn’t want to be.

Sonia had passed on Gloria’s message about Marnie’s Morpeko to Leon and once she had he’d immediately taken off again, much to her disappointment. The fact that the young Gym Leader’s out there without any of her Pokémon, with the only one that was known to have possibly been with her having turned up as injured as she was… she’s not surprised Leon was worried enough to leave right then and there with nothing more than a quick kiss and a sincere apology for cutting their time together short (and it was already going to be cut short as it was).

Since then she’s been pacing up and down in her lab or at home trying to work out if there _could_ possibly be a connection between the note-giver and Marnie’s disappearance. Every time she tries she comes up short. The note-giver has shown no signs of targetting Marnie before this – Leon had already asked Raihan to ask Piers if any odd notes had cropped up and he’d said they hadn’t – he was pretty damn sure the girl ran off because of a fight they’d had.

Yet there’s something not right about all of this. Something she can’t quite put her finger on. Marnie is an incredibly strong trainer – not as strong as Leon or Gloria, but strong enough to make it to the semi-finals of the Gym Challenge – so she wouldn’t have gone down easily, even with just a Morpeko by her side. She also doesn’t seem the type to just up and abandon her Pokémon, meaning she probably intended to go back to Spikemuth once she’d calmed down but she didn’t. Which ultimately leaves two options in Sonia’s head… either Morpeko got separated from her somewhere down the road or she was beaten in battle by somebody. If it’s the latter, then the person she fought must’ve been an incredibly skilled trainer.

But when she tries to interlink these suspicions with what little she knows about the mysterious note-giver, very little seems to add up. The only possible connection she can think of is that Marnie is friends with both Hop and Bede (though the fact that she’s supposedly friends with Bede still surprises her given how distant and cold the lad seemed to her and the fact that she hasn’t heard that he’s gone out to look for her) and that perhaps her disappearance might be a means of hurting them? The last note she’d gotten _had_ said something about making the receiver hurt… but even then, she’s just not sure.

She calls both Leon and Gloria at some point and runs through her suspicions with both of them, and they’ve taken them on board, though Leon is quick to remind her that she needs to be taking it easy, which lately only serves to frustrate her. She’s had enough of that from Gran, who’s made many a remark about how Sonia will wear a hole into her carpet one of these days if she continues pacing like she does.

It’s probably why Nessa comes around this Wednesday morning rather than her usual Friday and asks to go out shopping with her. Not that she minds all that much – she really doesn’t want this weighing on her mind all of the time, but given that people she loves are being affected by this, she finds it hard to switch those thoughts off.

She does have fun though. It’s nice to traipse around the boutiques of Motostoke for both maternity and baby clothes and look in baby shops for prams and Moses baskets (she’s thinking of opting for those until the twins are too big for them – Leon’s mum had suggested them as apparently the smaller size is more comforting for them given that they’ll initially be used to a smaller space). They also look at the more day-to-day stuff that will definitely be needed, like nappies and formula milk.

“I was thinking of breastfeeding actually,” she says quietly when Nessa lifts up a box of powdered formula milk, “Apparently that’s better for them?”

“I know. All the health professionals go on and on about that but you’ve got _two_ babies coming, not just one,” Nessa waves her hand adamantly, “What if you can’t manage it? It’s always best to have something on standby, just in case. If you don’t end up needing it, then great. But if you do, it’s there ready so you don’t need to rush out to the shops.”

She bites her lip, “Fine. I’ll consider it.”

Nessa puts the formula back on the shelf and gestures over to the opposite side of the aisle, “What about nappies? Have you thought about which ones you’re going to use?”

“I don’t know,” she glances over at the many nappy brands on the shelves, “Gran said cloth nappies are good for the environment but that’d it be a lot of washing and might not hold water as well. I’m not sure.”

“You’re going to need to think about these things.”

“I _know,_ don’t start,” Sonia snaps slightly and Nessa glances at her in astonishment, which immediately makes the redhead feel guilty, “I’m sorry. It’s just… with everything going on, I haven’t had much of a chance to think about any of these things.”

“I know,” Nessa murmurs, resting a reassuring hand on her shoulder, “But it’ll be okay. We’re all doing everything we can to find Marnie and let’s be honest,” she grins slyly, “nobody in their right mind is going to fuck with Leon’s little brother _or_ his girlfriend.”

She smiles weakly in return, “Yeah, I suppose so.”

“So…” Nessa begins again, her hand sliding off of Sonia’s shoulder to rest on her hip, “Have you thought about your birth plan yet?”  
  
“Yeah, my midwife has been going over my options with me,” Sonia grumbles, running a hand through her (now incredibly thick) hair, “Because I’ve got twins I’m at a higher risk of needing intervention, and because they’re measuring quite big, she said they’ll probably want to induce me at thirty-seven weeks. She did say I could choose not to but… I don’t know. Like I said, I haven’t had much of a chance to think about it.”

Nessa sighs slightly, her other hand now resting on the back of her head to mess with her own hair, “I think when it’s my turn I’m definitely going to have a water birth.”

Sonia snaps her head around to face her in surprise, “You’re _not?”_

“No. But maybe someday. I won’t rule it out,” the Gym Leader shrugs, “Don’t look at me like that. Just because I’m a model doesn’t mean I can’t have kids one day.”

“I didn’t mean-”

“I know you didn’t. But a lot of people will think that,” she clenches the fist on her hip slightly, “You can’t do anything right with some people. You get some other people going on about how if you’re a woman and you don’t want kids then that makes you selfish because that’s all they think we’re good for, but then you have others moaning about how you’re selfish for wanting kids because of a whole variety of reasons.”

“Like Bea and me?”

“Yeah, like Bea and you,” Nessa huffs and the rest doesn’t need to be said. Bea came out as asexual shortly after Raihan came out as gay, and she’s also gone on record since to say that she never wants kids of her own. While most people were supportive, that didn’t seem to stop an obnoxiously loud minority from ranting about how nobody would ever love her because she won’t have sex or have kids. Bea seems to not be bothered by it unlike Sonia who’s seen similar remarks online from the opposite end of the spectrum. Thankfully she doesn’t have much of an online presence because she doesn’t consider it necessary but she still knows some people have called her selfish for holding back Leon’s career (like battling is all he should be doing in their eyes) and a slut for not marrying before having sex. Some of them are hurtful, but Gran reassures her that the people who matter are on her side and to not pay the brats any mind.

Perhaps she should change the subject though, “So you and Milo… you’re doing well?”

“Yeah,” she says, her expression slowly shifting back into a smile, “We’re doing pretty good. Sucks that we can’t see each other as often because of the Gym Challenge but we knew what we were getting into.”

“You guys gotten any challenges?”  
  
“A few. A couple have got past me but no more than that,” Nessa tosses her hair over her back, “Kabu’s not going to be the only roadblock this year.”

Sonia frowns slightly, “Nobody’s challenging you today?”

“Not until this afternoon,” she says, “Because of the whole Marnie thing Leon suggested we schedule our battles so we can also have time to search for her,” she pauses, seeming to think for a moment before she continues, “It’s a good idea, really. I don’t know why it wasn’t a thing before. Scheduling our battles gives our Pokémon more time to recover after each battle and it means we also keep the balance of our free time and work even during the challenge.”

Sonia scowls, “Figures that Rose wouldn’t want that. It meant he wouldn’t have been able to fill his pocket as quickly.”

“To be fair, he hadn’t battled for years before the whole Darkest Day thing. He’d probably forgotten how much Pokémon and their trainers need to rest,” Nessa explains, seemingly not bothered by the look of betrayal and annoyance on Sonia’s face, “But yeah. Should’ve been common sense, really. Just because _he_ wanted to work his bollocks off all the time doesn’t mean the rest of us wanted to.”

“Bede reckons Oleana did most of the work.”

“She did but that doesn’t mean Rose did nothing either,” Nessa’s hand comes to rest on Sonia’s (now very tense) shoulder again, “Look, I get it. You feel like he’s an enormous part of why you and Leon lost all of that precious time you could have had together growing up, as well as the whole Darkest Day thing and all of the pain it put your gran through. I hate the bloke as much as you do for everything wrong he’s done, but… sometimes it’s like you’re quick to look for any reason to attack him, especially lately. Like… you’re thinking with your emotions and not your logic.”

“I don’t see what was so _logical_ about summoning a dangerous legendary Pokémon and nearly destroying Galar!”

Nessa frowns, “I don’t either. But you can’t ignore the fact that he’s done some good too. Galar has been a more popular tourist destination ever since he took over, he’s funded countless businesses and given to many charities-”

“Mind telling Piers that? I’m pretty sure Spikemuth got _worse_ when he took over as chairman because he didn’t want to fund them. Not to mention he wanted you to completely give up on your modelling even when he knew what it meant to you.”

“Yeah,” Nessa licks her lips awkwardly, “I can kind of see _why_ he wanted me to give up on the modelling even though I know I made the right choice in telling him to bugger off. Though there is no excuse for what he did to Spikemuth, that was bang out of order. I’m not excusing any of that. I’m just saying that I don’t think he’s this big villain either, because there were good things he did too.”

Sonia glowers at her, “What’s gotten into you? You’ve never defended Rose before, why start now?”

She exhales softly, “Milo and I were talking about it after we left you and Leon that day in hospital. He brought up some valid points, mostly about how everything’s not so black and white.”

Sonia scoffs. _Figures it’d be Milo. He always tries to see the best in everyone even when they don’t deserve it_ (she ignores the tinier voice at the back of her head reminding her that that’s one of the things she loves about Leon). “So you think he should be forgiven?”  
  
“I didn’t say that,” Nessa says firmly, glaring right back at her, “ _Fuck_ no. He deserves everything he got and then some. But Milo says that we shouldn’t ignore the good he’s done and… I can’t help but agree with _that_ at least, as much as it aggravates me to admit that. The bad outweighs the good, definitely but at the court case, when he said that everything he did was because he wanted the best for Galar… I don’t know, it _did_ feel like he was being honest about that at least.”

“If he was being honest then he’s got a screw loose.”

“Yeah,” Nessa snickers, “I can _definitely_ agree with you on that. Just goes to show, some people’s ideas on what is good aren’t actually good. Some of Rose’s ideas were fucking awful.”  
  
“And manipulating others is pretty fucking awful too,” Sonia finishes, stuffing her hands into her pockets, “I don’t care how much good he did, I’ll _never_ forgive him for all the bad things he’s done,” an image flashes through her head of Bede, looking distraught as the man he looked up to turned his back on him, “and the people he’s hurt.”

“Fair enough,” Nessa shrugs, “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

“No, it’s fine,” Sonia sighs tiredly, “You might have a point. Maybe.”

“For what it’s worth, I’ll be gutted when we get a new chairman or chairwoman,” Nessa speaks up again after a short silence, her tone quieter, almost as if she’s ashamed to be admitting what she’s about to say, “Leon’s got some really good ideas, you know? I must admit I thought he would mess up a lot and need a lot of help because he’s not exactly the brightest. But my Arceus, was I wrong. He makes a pretty bloody good chairman.”

“I’ll tell him you said that.”  
  
“Don’t you bloody dare. The last thing I want is his smug grin in my face.”

“Hmm,” she hums, lifting up a cute little orange onesie with a chibified picture of a Charizard on the front, “Alright, if you insist. Do you think Leon would like these?”

Nessa lets out a loud humoured snort, “He’s probably a bit too big for them.”

“For the _twins_ , Ness!” Sonia giggles.

“Probably. You might get some people going on about how they’re meant for boys though.”  
  
“I don’t care, _I_ think they’re cute. Clothes are clothes,” she says with a smile, grabbing a second one off of the hanger, “Do you think maybe they have Yamper ones at all?”

“Maybe. Don’t go too mad though, otherwise nobody will be able to get anything for your baby shower.”

She frowns slightly in confusion, “What baby shower?”

“The one I’m organizing for you.”

 _Wait, what?_ “Oh, _Ness_ …”

“What? You’re my best mate, and with all this bad stuff going on lately I wanted us to have something positive to look forward to,” Nessa folds her arms firmly across her chest but she’s still smiling, “Something to celebrate.”

Sonia doesn’t know what to say.

* * *

“Sir, Piers is here to see you.”

Leon’s not looking forward to this. He supposes he shouldn’t be surprised that this was coming but it still fills his stomach with dread. He’d already asked Piers to sit on the sidelines and take Marnie’s place as Gym Leader until the girl turned up again, and it had made him feel awful to do so. Piers had lost his shit at him but reluctantly conceded, though he’s heard from Raihan that the former Spikemuth Gym Leader had some less than pleasant things to say about him after the fact.

He’s okay with criticism. He was raised to take critique on board if it was fair and to ignore all remarks that weren’t helpful and just seeded in hate, and his years as Champion really helped to put that mindset into practice until he became a pro at it.

But then he’d found out that Piers had said that he wasn’t much better than Rose, and that one _hurt_. Mostly because he felt like he couldn’t dispute that.

Leon has no doubt that had Rose been in this position right now he would have insisted on the Gym Challenge continuing, insisted on keeping the morale of Galar high. After all, does it really matter if one girl goes missing when there are others who can take her place? Why make so many trainers upset or put their lives on hold for one person?

The worst part is, he can somewhat _understand_ that point of view because people _will_ complain, people _will_ feel like putting a stop to or delaying this year’s league will be the wrong decision either because it effects their personal circumstances or just because they were looking forward to it. But at the same time, he thinks about how _he’d_ feel if it were Hop that had gone missing and he gets Piers’ point of view too. He’d lose his shit too if someone told him he couldn’t go out looking for him. Heck, he’d flat out _ignore_ that advice and go anyway because some things are more important than Gym Challenges and battling.

Maybe that’s what he’s lost sight of amidst all the phone calls from obnoxious sponsors threatening to pull their support. Really, what it all boils down to is that the safety of a person far outweighs the need for some rich bastards to get even richer.

He’s not like Rose. He doesn’t _want_ to be.

“Send him in,” he sighs, mentally preparing himself for what he knows is going to come. This is definitely one of the less enjoyable aspects of t his job, and it’s a big part of why he doesn’t particularly want to be the chairman permanently. He misses the Battle Tower. He hasn’t been able to be out there battling as often as he likes and while there’s paperwork and administrative decisions he needs to make there as well, it’s certainly never felt as stressful as this.

Piers arrives quickly and while he’s still hunched over and looking tired like usual, there’s a silent determination to his demeanour – he means business. _Well,_ Leon thinks, _so do I._

He clasps his hands together in front of him, “Hello, Piers. What can I do for you?”  
  
Piers doesn’t return his greeting, instead immediately beginning a tirade instead, “Look, I ain’t one that likes to bother people. I spent a lot o’ time shuttin’ up and doin’ my job. I gave years o’ my life to a job I didn’ care for t’make sure my li’l sis grew up with food on the table and clothes on her back, especially given that my old man couldn’ be arsed and fucked off after our mum died. Everythin’ I’ve ever done in my life has been for _her_. So I’m here to tell ya… I’m gonna go an’ find her. I don’ give a _fuck_ about wha’ you say or wha’ you do ‘cause your league means _fuck all_ to me an’ she means _everythin’_.”

Leon’s lips thin and he remains silent for a moment before he nods, “Okay.”

It seems like Piers wasn’t expecting that, “You wha’?”

“I understand. You _should_ go and look for her.”

Piers scowls suspiciously, “You havin’ me on?”

“No, I’m not,” Leon sighs, running a hand through his hair, “Actually… I want to say that I’m sorry, Piers. I was wrong. I kept trying to find ways to keep everyone happy but the reality is, that’s not possible, because all I’ve done is make it seem like I don’t consider Marnie’s well-being as important enough to halt everything for. And I do.”

Piers doesn’t say anything but he still eyes him suspiciously, so Leon continues, “I’m going to delay the Gym Challenge. That way more people can focus on looking for her without worrying about needing to be at their Gyms for Challengers. The sponsors will pitch a fit but I honestly don’t care any more,” he pauses for just a moment before he makes a decision to carry on, “Raihan told me that you said I was like Rose. I hate to admit it, but… I _was_ being like him in making that choice. And I don’t want to be like him.”

“You-”

“I’m a big brother too,” he continues, clenching his hands together again, only tighter this time, “And I know that if it were Hop I’d be going insane with worry, and _nobody_ would stop me from looking for him. Who am I to tell _you_ to sit tight when I know I wouldn’t be able to do that myself?”

Piers lets out a small exhale, before he runs a hand through his own ponytail, “To be ‘onest, I didn’ expect ya to care much. Raihan always says you’re a good one, bu’ when I ‘eard you talkin’ on the phone to him about them babies and how you didn’ know wha’ to do, it made me wonder if that were true. Made me wonder if you really give a shit abou’ family.”

He chuckles slightly, “I _do_ give a shit. To be fair, the whole thing with the babies… I was in shock. I don’t think I ever was planning on leaving Sonia to it though. I definitely never _wanted_ to. I just… I don’t know. I think I just wanted someone to give me a nudge in the right direction. Which technically, you did, even though you weren’t asked to.”

Piers doesn’t say anything to that.

“You said your dad left, right? Is that why you got so pissed at me?”

Piers stays silent for a moment, before he nods, “Aye.”

Leon lips curve upwards sadly, “I get it. I do. My dad… he left too. When I was young. And… he wasn’t exactly dad of the year, you know? So when I found out about the twins, I panicked because… I didn’t want to risk being like him. I still don’t.”

Piers frowns, looking at the floor, “Didn’ know that. Don’ get what you mean though, ‘bout not wantin’ to be like him. You ain’t him, are ya? Unless by some fuckin’ spot o’ bad luck you got all his DNA and none of your mum’s,” he pauses, looking up again at him and he’s still scowling but there’s a hint of understanding in his eyes, “I know I ain’t like _my_ old man. I migh’ like a few drinks every now an’ then, bu’ I ain’t in the pub every night gettin’ pissed then comin’ home to smack me other half about, ‘cause I choose _not_ to be like that.”

Leon doesn’t know what to say to that. His dad may have been far from perfect, but at least he wasn’t as bad as _that_. He was never hit by him, nor did he ever see him raise a hand to his mum. He just shouted a lot and made him feel like a failure. It doesn’t change the hurt that was caused, but _still_ …

“Rai says you’re a good one,” Piers looks uncomfortable but he continues anyway, “Maybe he migh’ be righ’ abou’ that. S’no wonder he likes hangin’ around with ya.”

A memory of a conversation flits into Leon’s mind. _Oh yeah._

“Raihan and me have only ever been best mates, you know. Nothing more.”

“Oh I know that. He reckons you look at that Sonia like she’s a fuckin’ queen,” Piers waves his hand nonchalantly, “An’ I know the paps makes up all sorts o’ shit to sell a story.”

“He loves you, you know,” Leon says quietly, “Heck, even before he told me I knew it. All that bravado he put on was definitely to try and impress you.”

“Yeah, I know. He’s said as much, the soppy git,” he pauses, clenching his hands into fists and then unclenching them again, “An’ I believe him. Never used to, bu’ he’s a stubborn bastard when he wants to be. He’s been good to me, an’ I ain’t gonna let him down, not any more.”

“You could never let him down.”  
  
Piers snorts, “Yeah, you go on thinkin’ that. Anyway, I said wha’ I came to say,” he pauses, still looking a little awkward (well, more than usual anyway), “Cheers. For apologizin’. An’ for helpin’ look for my sis.”

Leon nods again with a small smile, “No need to thank me.”

“Guess I’ll be off then,” Piers mumbles, turning around to make a move out of the door.

A thought crops up into Leon’s head, a memory of a throwaway comment he'd gotten yesterday in a phone conversation with Opal in which she'd told him that Bede was leaving to search for Marnie himself. _“He cares for her and when someone you care about is potentially in danger, the pain is almost unbearable. I cannot and will not ask him to stay.”_

He hadn’t even thought to mention it to anybody else, not even Sonia. Not even after she’d called him to suggest that maybe Marnie’s disappearance might be a means to hurt somebody else. Why the heck did he not think of it sooner?

“Wait!” he calls, getting to his feet quickly and approaching the thinner, paler man, “Can I ask you something?”  
  
Piers raises his eyebrows slowly, regarding him with a tired stare of curiosity, “Wha’?”

“I’ve been told recently that Marnie and Gym Leader Bede are friends?”  
  
“Aye, wha’ abou’ it?”

“I… wasn’t aware. I was just wondering how they-”

“I dunno, they met when Gloria beat ya,” he shrugs again, “Didn’ know anythin’ abou’ it until she started goin’ on abou’ how she bumped into him in Hammerlocke an’ apologized to him for somethin’ or other.”

“What did she apologize for?”  
  
“Somethin’ to do with memes and Gloria. Whatever a fuckin’ meme is. Why?”

“Nothing,” he smiles, trying to appear as nonchalant as possible – he doesn’t want to worry Piers unnecessarily, especially if it turns out he’s wrong about this, “I was just wondering, that’s all. Did she… did she mention seeing Sordward and Shielbert by any chance?”

“Those idiots?” he seems astonished now, “Nah, don’ think so. She said she never went near the Gym. Bumped into the kid at a cafe, she said. Rai didn’ see her then either.”

“Right… ” he murmurs, his mind starting to be filled with all of these thoughts and suspicions, “And… and they’re good friends?”

“S’far as I know. She’s been meetin’ up with him and talkin’ abou’ him a lot. Again, why’d you wanna know? You don’ think _he_ had anythin’ to do with it, do ya?”

Leon frowns, rubbing his chin, “I don’t think he had an _active_ role in it. Opal told me he’s been worried about her too and if she’s the one saying that then I believe her. But I’ve got a bad feeling that he might be a part of the reason Marnie disappeared. I can’t explain it, it’s more like a gut feeling … so I’m going to need to go and have a chat with Opal, I think.”

“Well you do that,” Piers grunts impatiently, clenching his fists, “ _I’m_ gonna go find my sis. I’m off.”

“Good luck.”

“You too.”

With that, Piers continues to stalk out of the door, his head seeming a little bit higher than it was when he walked in the room, leaving Leon alone with his thoughts.

It was something that had briefly occurred to him before when Sonia had received the third note and especially after Sonia had shared Gloria’s concerns that this could be linked with Marnie’s disappearance. Why would they deliver a note to Sonia _after_ Hop had left? If they were around they’d have seen him leaving the lab and followed him back home, surely? Sonia reckons the note was delivered about an hour and a half or so after his younger brother had tore off which to be fair _is_ plenty of time for someone to decide to catch a train down and post a threat through a door but he can’t shake the feeling that whoever it is probably would have stuck around for a bit to watch for the right moment. Everything just seems _too_ calculated with this individual – this person clearly waited until nightfall for them to target his mum’s home after all.

But then even _that_ seems erratic, why not deliver the note to Hop at his mum’s house? Postwick is close enough to Wedgehurst for that to have been an option. Perhaps there’s an obvious answer staring him in the face but he just doesn’t see it, even though there _is_ a suspicion flitting around in his head and he hopes it’s not the case because he doesn’t like it one bit.

Then there’s the matter of Bede. He still has a gut feeling the boy fits into this _somewhere_ though while he might have his suspicions, he knows he cannot charge in all Charizards blazing. Maybe Opal will be able to give him some ideas to help confirm (or not) what he’s thinking. If she’s willing to play ball with him that is. She can be a stubborn, sour old lady and she’s become fiercely protective of Bede, almost like a grandmother would be over her grandchild. She won’t take kindly to anybody even _suggesting_ her protégé would have anything to do with what’s happening.

But it’s all he’s got right now, so he picks up his phone and dials the number for the Ballonlea Gym, only to have it be answered by one of the Gym Trainers – Annette he thinks.

“Hello? Yes, this is Leon. I need to arrange a meeting with Opal, it’s very urgent… yes. Yes, I know but… thank you. Yes, I’ll be right over.”

He puts the phone down with a sigh and grabs his red jacket, slinging it over his shoulders before he strokes his cravat down. He grabs his Poké Ball belt off to the side, strapping it around his waist, and then hurries out of the office, passing by the very tired-looking receptionist sat at her desk outside, “I need to go and see Opal. If anyone wants to talk to me, tell them to call me back.”  
  
“Any sort of time?” the receptionist asks without looking up, clearly used to him disappearing by now.

“I don’t know, just tell them to leave a message and I’ll get back to them when I can,” _or when I feel like it, I don’t care_ he adds in his head, but he’s smart enough not to say that out loud. If he never has to have any dealings with an entitled sponsor again he’ll be the happiest bloke alive. He storms out without another word to the receptionist, and while he does feel bad about being rude he also cannot shake this tightening feeling of fear squeezing his chest because he’s starting to worry that neither Hop nor Sonia were the targeted receiver for those notes after all – a thought that _should_ fill him with relief but doesn’t because if neither of them are the intended targets then that could only mean…

_‘I will make you hurt like I did.’_

_“When someone you care about is potentially in danger, the pain is almost unbearable.”_

Maybe, just maybe, the notes were meant for _him._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One thing they never tell you about pregnancy - your hair gets super thick! Or at least mine did (more than it already is anyway).  
> Also I hate when people try to say that only boys/girls can wear certain clothes/colours or play with certain toys. Growing up as a child, my favourite toys were cars and blue is still my favourite colour even now. :/  
> Piers and Leon are the best big brothers. <3  
> Thanks again for reading! :D


	20. Realization

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “I have reason to believe… that the notes and Marnie’s disappearance might be linked.”

Cold eyes regarded him from over the desk as a woman with long platinum blonde hair strode into the chairman’s office, wearing a red shirt underneath a spotless white lab coat. Ten year old Leon bit his lip – was this another professor? Like his best friend Sonia’s gran? He wasn’t sure if he should say anything. Chairman Rose seemed like a friendly man and probably wouldn’t get angry but he wanted to continue to make a good impression on him, especially after the man had called him a prodigy.

A prodigy. _Him._

His mum had always said he could do anything he put his mind to and his little brother had always babbled that he’s the best, but nobody else had _ever_ given him such high praise. Especially not- no, he didn’t want to think about _him_. _He_ was wrong and Leon had proven it by becoming the Champion, just as he’d always said he would.

“Ah, Oleana!” the chairman said with a bright smile, twisting his chair to face her, “I’d like you to meet our newest Champion, Leon Hayes of Postwick. He gave an absolutely _incredible_ showing today, Mustard didn’t stand a chance!”

“Indeed,” she replied coldly, glancing over him with a distasteful expression, “So Mustard took your advice after all.”  
  
“On the contrary, both battlers gave everything their all,” Rose beamed, slapping a hand down on the boy’s shoulder, “I’m sure Galar will be facing an even brighter future with this young man as Champion. A perfect example that anyone from any background has the potential to become a fantastic trainer!”

“I see.”

“Young Leon will be joining us for dinner tonight, won’t you my lad?”  
  
Leon nodded, still unsure if he should say anything and Rose simply laughed, curling an arm around the boy’s shoulders (something that made the young boy feel uncomfortable but he still didn’t want to say anything because he didn’t want to offend this man who thought so highly of him), “I have a feeling this will be the beginning of a beautiful friendship, my boy.”

Leon nodded again, his eyes briefly glancing up to look at the lady (Oleana, wasn’t it?) and he could see that just behind that cold facade there was something in her eyes. Something he didn’t like. That feeling only strengthened when she actually made eye contact with him and he saw it clearer. She was _scowling_ at him like he was unwelcome, like he was interfering with something that was beyond him. It made him feel like a little boy being stared down by his dad at home again.

“I will make the dinner arrangements right away, Sir,” she stated almost robotically, before turning on her heel and leaving without saying anything else though Leon noticed the way her muscles seemed to tense and how her hands were clenching tightly at her sides.

“I don’t think she likes me very much,” Leon mumbled quietly.

“Oh, my boy, don’t worry about her. She’s like that with everyone. Don’t think too much on it.”

Leon glanced back towards the door that Miss Oleana had just walked out of, and he frowned.

_Maybe he’s right. But I don’t know. The way she looked at me… it’s like she **hates** me._

* * *

He makes an urgent call to Sonia while he rides Charizard’s back to Ballonlea. Unfortunately, he doesn’t get a reply, just an annoying automated message saying that the number isn’t available right now. So he calls the lab and gets the answering machine. Then he calls her home phone and her gran answers, telling him that she’s gone out with Nessa for the morning. So he tries her RotomPhone again, thinking that perhaps she’s just got a really bad signal but there’s still no joy. He growls a curse under his breath. She’s always gone on at him about how important it is for him to be contactable, and yet now he can’t get through to her to make sure she’s okay. He fires off a text to her asking her to call him as soon as she gets the message and hopes that she replies soon.

_Okay, now Hop._

Thankfully there’s no trouble getting through to his little brother, who answers almost immediately, sounding breathless, “Hey, Lee. What’s up?”  
  
“Where are you? Are you alright?”  
  
“Wild Area, and of course I am. Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Is Gloria with you?”

“Yeah, why?” Hop asks, sounding very confused and concerned on the other end of the line.

“Good,” Leon breathes out a sigh of relief, “Just… I need you guys to do me a favour and stick together from now on, okay? No more splitting up.”

“Okay,” Hop replies slowly, “Though I don’t see how we can effectively search for Marnie if we don’t split up. I mean, that’s _why_ we’re out here.”

“I know,” Leon says, trying to keep his heart from beating out of his chest, “But I think if you two stick together, it’ll be safer for you both. Just… trust me, okay? This isn’t me doubting your skills. I just have a gut feeling that something’s going to happen. I’m starting to think that Marnie’s disappearance was planned and I don’t want anything to happen to you too.”

Hop is silent for a moment and Leon briefly worries that he might have upset his brother again but when he replies he’s quiet and thoughtful, “Okay, Lee. I trust you. Gloria and me will stay close to each other.”

“Thank you.”

Hop pauses before he speaks up again, his voice sounding tense, “Is it that serious?”

“It might be.”

“Do you need us to do anything else?”

He hesitates, because he doesn’t want Hop getting himself into any unnecessary trouble but at the same time he knows Hop can handle himself, and that’s especially the case if Gloria’s with him (heck, _he_ can’t even beat Gloria and he’s spent a number of years of his life being touted as unbeatable!). So he lets out a reluctant sigh, “Do you have any idea where Bede could be?”

“No. Why?”

“If you see him, I need you to stick to him like glue. Don’t let him out of your sight. And call me straight away to let me know where you are and where you’re going so I can meet up with you.”

“Do you want me and Gloria to follow him all sneaky like or-?”

“Just stick to him. I don’t think it matters whether he knows about it or not, though things might be a bit easier if you try and be discreet. But if there’s any signs of him being in trouble, help him out. I know you guys don’t get on but he’s not the bad guy here.”

“Okay,” Hop sighs, not sounding too pleased about the possibility of having to come face to face with Bede at some point, “If we spot him we’ll see what we can do.”

“Okay, I’m on my way to see Opal,” he tells his brother while narrowing his eyes against a harsh burst of wind hitting him in the face, “I’ll call you after I’m done so try and stay available if you can. If you can… try and see if you can reach Sonia. I’ve been trying to call her but I can’t get through. Apparently she’s gone out with Nessa. I just want to make sure she’s alright.”

“Can do,” Hop says, beginning to sound a little bit more enthusiastic even though there’s still an undercurrent of concern in his tone, “Is that it?”

“Should be. Just… be careful, okay?”  
  
“You too. ”

“Okay. Talk to you later.”

He can just about make out Ballonlea below him now, so the timing for the end of the call couldn’t have been better. Though he wants to give calling Sonia another go in case she answers this time, he ultimately decides against it. Knowing Hop, he’ll immediately be passing his requests on to Gloria and she’ll be trying to get through to his girlfriend herself. She might have better luck at it and he hopes she does. Maybe after he’s spoken to Opal and checked in with Hop he’ll try again. Heck, he’ll go to the lab himself if he has to. He just needs to know that she’s okay, needs to know that she’s not in any danger. That, and she needs to know what’s going on.

Charizard makes a smooth landing thankfully in front of the Ballonlea stadium and Leon slides off of his back effortlessly before returning him to his Poké Ball. He inhales, exhales and then walks into the stadium, trying to straighten his back and not look like he’s inwardly panicking..

Opal is waiting for him, sat in her usual seat off to the side, hunched over with her gnarled hands leaning on her walking stick. He cannot quite read her expression – she certainly doesn’t look annoyed at his sudden insistence on meeting with her but she doesn’t exactly look happy about it either. As soon as she sees him, she slowly pulls herself to her feet without a word, gesturing him to follow her.

She leads him into the Gym Leader’s office (no longer hers as Bede’s name is now the one engraved on the door) and she sits in the Gym Leader’s seat behind the desk like it’s still hers (which technically it is given Bede’s not here and she’s acting in his stead), pointing at the chair opposite hers, which he sits in without question.

“I heard from Annette that you needed to see me urgently.”

Opal’s not one to mince her words, which in this situation he’s grateful for. He doesn’t have time to beat around the bush.

“Have you heard from Bede?” he asks immediately, feeling like this is a good enough place to start.

She frowns at him slightly, slowly shaking her head, “Not since he left last night. May I ask why you want to know?”

“You probably already have an idea. Marnie’s disappearance… I’m concerned that Bede might be part of the reason as to why that happened.”

“Bede had no part in that girl vanishing,” Opal suddenly hisses, “He considers her a friend – the only one he’s ever had, in fact. When she disappeared he was beside himself with worry. Even though he tried not to show it, I could tell. He started to shift back to his old mannerisms, became tenser, more unfocused and so very disrespectful, until he eventually told me quite firmly that he was going to join the search. Why on earth would he want her to disappear?”

“He wouldn’t, if they’re as close as you and Piers seem to think they are,” he chimes in before she can say anything else and it seems to silence her, if only for now, “Do you remember when I last came to see you? I mentioned someone leaving threatening notes.”

She nods slightly, her lips curving upwards into a creepy grin, “Ah yes. You suspected somebody might have been attempting to frame him.”

“I have reason to believe… that the notes and Marnie’s disappearance might be linked.”

“I see,” Opal doesn’t seem surprised, but then again she always seemed to have an aura of knowing things she shouldn’t, “And you believe that Marnie’s disappearance was an attempt to get under Bede’s skin?”

“It’s something I’m considering. And-” perhaps he shouldn’t say anything until he’s sure, but if he doesn’t ask then he feels like he won’t be absolutely certain, “I wanted to know if he got any notes. Or anything like that.”

“No notes that I know of. If he received anything like that he never mentioned it to me. He likes to keep things to himself, that one. He is not one to ask for help,” Opal says thoughtfully, rubbing her chin, “Though now that you mention it, he received a strange phone call. He never outright told me who it was, but it seemed like it was _that_ call that pushed him into going to look for the girl. Both the Champion and your brother had contacted him prior to this and they weren’t enough to spur him into action.”

“What happened after that?”

“He told me he was going to go and find her and that I was not to stand in his way,” Opal ponders, and it’s almost as if she could be talking about the weather instead of her protégé walking out on her, “He was incredibly angry, angrier than I have ever seen him. But I also detected a hint of guilt, which I remember thinking was unusual. I may not have known the boy for as long as certain other people, but I have never known Bede to show guilt over anything. He never even expressed guilt over his role in the destruction of the mural in Stow-on-Side.”

“Do you know where he was planning to look?”

“He never shared that with me,” she says quietly, “But I will say that it seemed like he had a good idea of where to look.”

“That doesn’t tell me much,” Leon groans, running a hand through his hair again, “He didn’t give you any indication of where he might be headed?”

“None,” the old lady says with a smirk, “But I _did_ manage to overhear him speaking on the phone. The person he was speaking to, from what little I could hear sounded very familiar, and they seemed to be familiar to him, enough so that I was easily able to draw my own conclusions. There is nobody else in this world he dislikes quite as much as her except maybe the chairman. He doesn’t even dislike _Gloria_ as much as them, though to be brutally honest I don’t believe he feels as much distaste towards that girl as he claims to.”

He feels his stomach drop – he was hoping it wouldn’t be this.

Opal continues, not seeming to pay attention to his newfound state of panic, “Of course once I overheard that phone call, I had a good idea of who he was speaking to. And then I remembered something I read in the newspaper. Did you hear about the Pokémon that dynamaxed and went rogue in Turrfield? I believe it was a _Tsareena_.”

He definitely remembers hearing about that. He’d called Milo himself after hearing about it to ask him what went on and the farmer hadn’t been able to tell him much – just that a Tsareena had dynamaxed and lost control. He’d taken it down but before he could make sure it was alright, it had run off towards the-

“The mines,” he croaks, his mouth feeling incredibly dry, “ _Oleana._ ”

Opal sniffs, “I always knew there was something not right about that woman. She’s never been the most emotionally stable person in the world, after all. I remember Hazel Magnolia publishing a theory discussing how a trainer’s emotions can help ground a Pokémon when they are dynamaxed, keeping them under control. Apparently if a trainer’s not emotionally stable, it can potentially cause their dynamaxed Pokémon to lose control, especially if they are not used to the process of dynamaxing to begin with. You might want to ask your girlfriend about that, however. I’m no professor, and my memory’s a little bit hazy on it.”

He nods dumbly, not sure of what to say. He’d had a small voice in the back of his mind nagging him about this possibility but he’d pushed it aside. Oleana was a lot of things, but he never took her for the vengeful sort and even though she still volunteered for Rose and supported him, she was honestly regretful about the Eternatus event and she had shown no interest in Zacian or Zamazenta either. If anything, he always had the impression that she just wanted to get on with her life without drawing too much attention to herself – to slip under the radar.

He remembers charging down to Hammerlocke Stadium on that particular day (miraculously without getting lost, though he had Charizard to thank for that) and it’s the only time he can think of where she _didn’t_ look at him with that hateful stare she usually fixed him with – she was too preoccupied with worrying about Rose.

Though when he thinks about it, he realizes that _that_ was what things always boiled down to with her.

_Rose._

He doesn’t know much about her life before she met Rose – she wasn’t one to share, especially not with him, but he knows that Rose found her when she was at a low point in her life. Since then she’d stuck by his side, as a researcher and as his personal assistant. She was there when he first became Champion at the tender age of ten – a young woman with cold, calculating eyes who regarded him poorly. Despite Rose’s assurances that Oleana was cold with just about everyone, she seemed to be particularly vindictive towards him. She was the one in charge of his schedule and it always seemed to be particularly full and filled with unbearable tasks. On those occasions when he went home to help his mum look after Hop she always got annoyed (sometimes even angry) with him, reminding him of how he was inconveniencing Rose, of how he, as Champion, has responsibilities to Galar and to Macro Cosmos. When he’d argue that his family was also important to him, more than Macro Cosmos, she’d often lose it at him because _how dare he_ throw Mr. Rose’s kindness in his face, _how dare he_ show such little gratitude to the man who helped make him into who he is when before he was nothing more than some unknown runt from some unknown country village.  
  
She was always defensive where Rose was concerned. It led to some of the other Gym Leaders (namely those who also faced her angry outbursts) speculating that she had a thing for him, which ended up spawning into jokes behind her back. Even he got a laugh out of one or two of them, he had to admit. It certainly made him forget the way she’d always look at him with that pointed scowl, especially when he and Rose would meet and they’d end up laughing at some joke one of them had made.

He still can’t understand why she could do something like _this_ , though. Okay, so maybe he was right all along and Oleana hated him… but _why?_ Is _she_ really the one behind Marnie’s disappearance? Oleana’s a strong trainer, he knows that much – not quite on his level but reasonably close, close enough that she could probably take down Marnie’s Morpeko without much difficulty, especially if that was the only Pokémon the girl had with her. That Garbodor in particular can be an absolute beast.

“Bede…” he murmurs uncomfortably, “he said she didn’t like him.”

Opal clicks her tongue impatiently, “She didn’t. Any fool could see that, especially after she’d coaxed him into destroying that mural.”

“That was her?”

“Bede confessed that she was the one who planted the thought into his head, yes. She didn’t _outright_ tell him to destroy the mural. She didn’t need to,” the old lady grips her cane tighter and her face contorts, displaying a flicker of anger he’s never known her to have, “Rose took that boy in, you know. Introduced him to Pokémon training and paid through the nose for him to become who he truly is. There is _nothing_ Bede wouldn’t have done to make that man happy. She knew that all too well and took full advantage of it so she could be rid of him.”

He sighs in frustration, his mind racing, “So if you know that she was potentially involved in Marnie’s disappearance, why didn’t you contact the police? Or me?”

“I only gathered the identity of the potential culprit after the call to Bede, and his demeanour when he left made it all too clear that this is one of those situations that I shouldn’t involve myself in. This is Bede’s battle and I will respect that, regardless of my personal feelings.”

He bites back the urge to say that this isn’t necessarily just about Bede and his stupid pride. Marnie’s missing, presumably because Oleana wants to get back at him or something (never mind the fact that she got Rose to give the boy the boot from his life anyway and that had done some damage) and if he’s getting those notes from her, then someone _he_ loves could be in danger as well. He still can’t quite grasp why, but he doesn’t need to right now. Not if Hop or Sonia could be at risk. Opal should have told somebody, even if it went against what Bede might want. _But that’s Opal. She’d probably do anything for Bede. She’d never say it outright, but she loves him like he’s her grandchild._

His heart is racing fiercely in his chest, “Is there anything else?”

She pauses thoughtfully before she answers quietly, “After Rose turned his back on him, Bede said he will live life his own way, by his own rules, and seemed adamant that he no longer cared for him. But I know him better than he thinks I do. He isn’t completely over what that man did to him or the way that woman treated him.”

He nods, “I can understand that.” _Being abandoned by the nearest thing to a father he’s ever known? I can’t blame him._

“I hate to interfere,” she begins (if Leon wasn’t in such a state of anxiety he’d probably have snorted at that), “but while I respect that he must do what he feels is necessary… he is my apprentice, Leon.”

“I see,” he nods while swallowing, “You want me to make sure he’s alright?”

“If you are headed the same way as he is, it cannot hurt. But don’t let him know I asked this of you. Goodness knows that boy hates having his pride hurt. I’d never hear the end of it.”

“I’ll be sure not to mention it. I have my own personal reasons to investigate this in any case.”

“Indeed,” she says, and again he gets that feeling that she knows something and it makes his skin crawl, “From what I have gathered, she wasn’t very fond of you either. If I were you I’d check on your loved ones first before heading to the Galar Mines.”

He nods, quickly getting to his feet, shuffling around in his pocket to find his phone, “Thank you Opal.”

“Just sort that woman out and get my apprentice back here, will you?” she grumbles, slowly getting to her feet, “I’m an old lady and I don’t particularly like the prospect of needing to find a new apprentice because my previous one decided to play hero.”

He senses that underneath those words that she wants him back for more reasons than just not wanting to look for a new protégé, but he knows better than to say so. It seems like Opal could sometimes be as bad as Bede for not wanting people to see how she really feels. So he nods again and leaves quickly with a shouted goodbye over his shoulder (he doubts she’ll mind – if anything, she’s probably glad he’s going).

As soon as he’s out of the stadium he attempts to call Hop only to find there’s no signal so he sends out Charizard and immediately the two take to the sky. He tries to call his brother again and this time he gets through.

“Lee!” Hop says before Leon can even say a word, “We saw Bede heading into Motostoke so we followed him out onto Route 3, but he caught us! Told us both to sod off and ran off towards the mines! What do we do? Do we keep following?”

He’s torn. He promised Opal he’d make sure Bede was alright but at the same time, he doesn’t want to put Hop in danger. That, and Hop and Sonia aren’t the only two people he cares about, “Change of plan, Hopscotch. I need you to trust me on this. Go home to mum and don’t leave her side.”

“But Lee-”

“It was Oleana, Hop. Oleana’s the one who was writing the notes, and it wasn’t because of you, it was because of _me_ ,” he interjects quickly because he’s desperate to make sure that he gets the message across so that Hop doesn’t think this is him trying to say he doesn’t have faith in him, “She’s been sending the notes to places frequented by people _I_ care about – you, mum and Sonia. I don’t know why she didn’t send them to me directly, but given that Bede got a call from her and she has less than pleasant feelings towards him as well I think it’s safe to say I’m not the only person she wants to get at.”

“Usurpers…” he hears Gloria mumble and he immediately recognizes that he’s on speaker phone. He won’t complain about that – Gloria should hear this too, “But what did you and Bede usurp?”

He knows the answer to that. He thinks he always has done, deep down.

“Rose.”

“But that’s _ridiculous!_ ” Hop shouts in frustration.

“No, I think that makes some sense,” Gloria replies thoughtfully, “Remember when we climbed the tower to go after Leon the night before Eternatus was released? She was a little overzealous then when it came to Rose.”

“A _little?”_ Hop chokes out, “She went absolutely _mental!_ ”

“Exactly. She was determined to not let us interrupt him,” Gloria continues calmly, “She said that beating me would break Leon’s spirit… and she said it like deep down she wanted to do _just_ that. And I wouldn’t have been surprised if it was her that encouraged Bede to destroy that mural in Stow-on-Side.”

“It was,” Leon tells her hoarsely, “Opal told me.”

“So maybe she resents Leon and Bede for taking Rose’s attention away from her?” Gloria finishes quietly, “It’s an idea, anyway and it fits in with what I know about her, which isn’t a lot to be fair, but still…”

“Okay, I’ll go back and make sure mum’s okay. But what about Sonia?” Hop asks and he sounds worried, “We couldn’t get hold of her at all. She’s pregnant and on her own and -”

“One of us needs to go back to Wedgehurst then and check on her. Maybe give her a rough idea of what’s happening,” Leon says firmly and before he can suggest Gloria for that task she’s already spoken up.

“Well that’ll be you then right? I mean, you’re already in the air and I’m already here at the mines. Pick up Hop on the way through and I’ll go on ahead to try and find Bede.”

He almost chokes on his words – he wasn’t planning on that. She might be stronger than him but she’s still so _young_ and as the interim chairman, surely this is _his_ responsibility. Even more so given that _he’s_ one of the ones Oleana’s trying to get at, so there’s the fact that this is personal for him as well but before he can voice any of this to Gloria she’s speaking again, “What? She’s _your_ girlfriend and she’s carrying _your_ babies. Pretty sure she won’t thank you if you go running off into potential danger without at least checking in on her.”

Hop’s trying to speak up now, also seeming to object to this plan, “Gloria, I-”

“So that’s settled!” the girl chirps annoyingly, “Hop will be waiting for you on Route 3, just outside of Motostoke! Don’t go getting lost now! Bye!”

Before he or Hop can even say a word she’s disconnected the call.

* * *

Sonia lets out a sigh of exhaustion. She’d ended up buying a fair bit more than she’d expected – namely a nice variety of baby clothes including dresses, baby-grows and onesies. She’d dropped them off at home and had a nice lunch with Gran, painstakingly going through each and every single one of her purchases so that her grandparents could make a mental note of what not to buy for her baby shower, which it turns out there were in on. Presumably everybody knew but her.

After tucking them away in the bottom of her wardrobe she grabs Yamper’s Poké Ball, deciding to leave Applin with her grandparents this time around as she’s not going to be out for long, and treks down to the lab. She just needs to check on the power spot tracking machine to make sure there have been no anomalies while she’s been out and if there have been then she needs to make a note of them. Once she’s done that she can head back home, put her feet up and pop the telly on.

Once she gets in the lab she lets Yamper out and scurries over to the machine, really quite eager to get this over with so she can spend the rest of her day relaxing, and makes a note of the numbers, all of which appear quite normal. Whatever happened in Turrfield seems to have been a one-off, and that’s something she’s thankful for. The last thing Galar needs is another group of idiots running around forcing Pokémon to dynamax against their will.

She shivers slightly – she doesn’t know why but the lab seems colder than usual for this time of the year. Granted, the summer heat is slowly starting to subside but it’s still quite warm outside. She didn’t leave the air conditioning on, did she? She’s not used to having air conditioning (it’s considered a rare luxury in Galar), so it’s always a possibility. It can’t hurt to check.

It’s off.

 _That’s strange._   
  
She quickly heads to the back room where the Wishing Stars are being kept, grabbing the key on the way. Upon unlocking the door, she can see that everything is as it was – nothing has been moved. Maybe the cold temperature has something to do with them? She highly doubts it, but she can’t rule it out either.

Then she hears Yamper growling in the room with the power spot tracking machine. _That’s weird. Yamper doesn’t growl unless he thinks there’s a threat._ She locks up the room again, deciding to head back to her little buddy so she can soothe him or at least find out what has upset him enough to growl. But as she tucks the key into her pocket she hears a loud smash in the other room and before she can even think about it she breaks out into a run. There are more smashes, more crashes and the sound of Yamper yelping in what sounds like pain. She feels the cold air getting colder, almost prickling the skin on her arms even though they’re covered by her jacket.

_Shit shit shit._

It doesn’t take long to get back to the main lab area and in the short span of time that she was gone, everything has gone to hell. She spots Yamper collapsed on the floor in front of her, several cuts and grazes mark the skin beneath the puppy Pokémon’s fur coat, and the fur itself is lightly coated in blood. Sonia lets out a horrified gasp as she hurries towards her beloved friend, collapsing on her knees and gently shaking him, whispering his name frantically. His fur feels almost ice cold, like it had been touched by frost, but he’s still breathing. _Thank Arceus._

She’s scared. More scared than she’s ever felt before. Definitely more scared than when she was told she was moving to a new region, or when she first stepped out on Motostoke’s battle arena for the opening ceremony for the Gym Challenge. Even more scared than when she had to tell Leon about the twins because there was that possibility that he might have hated her for it.

_I need to get Yamper to a Pokémon Centre. I need to call someone… the police? Nessa? Leon?_

She reaches down into her other pocket to grab her phone and she can now see on the screen that he’s sent her a text but before she can unlock it she feels a cold presence pressed firmly into her back, the touch of what feels like lips and large hands against her shoulders. The phone slips out of her hands. She tries to reach out for it, tries to cry or scream or _something_ but the words can’t escape her throat because she can feel all of her energy slowly leaving her.

Then everything turns black.


	21. Taken

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Okay, you need to open your eyes, Sonia.
> 
> It’s hard when all her body wants to do is doze off but she’s nothing if not determined so with an inhale and an exhale she forces herself to open her eyes.

‘ **IT HURTS LOSING SOMEONE YOU LOVE, DOESN’T IT?’**

Leon crumples the note in his fist not really caring that the pink ink would probably stain on his hand, clenching his teeth as he takes in the state of Sonia’s lab.

It’s ruined. Completely and utterly ruined. Sonia’s desk has been just about smashed in half, with several bits of wood broken off and scattered on the floor along with all of her research papers that she always works so hard on. Hop’s desk is worse, broken into three with several sharp edges of splintered wood pointing upwards. The book shelves had all been battered and some of the books seem to have been either frozen or, in a few cases, ripped to shreds. The power spot tracking machine may well be as good as destroyed as a series of dents seem to adorn a majority of its surfacing and even though it’s plugged in, it’s not working. A few stray sparks from the machine had caught him off guard when he’d initially walked in, and that was where he’d found Yamper unconscious and bleeding.

It’s also cold, he notes, and it’s not all that surprising when he takes in the ruined environment. The destroyed remains of everything seems to be coated in frost. This _has_ to have been the work of Oleana’s Froslass. He’s seen it in action a couple of times. It’s surprisingly strong for a Pokémon belonging to someone who doesn’t really battle.

He briefly wonders if his mum and grandparents are okay. He told Hop to go straight down to Postwick to check in on them, and if Sonia was attacked there’s every chance they might have been too. Heck, he’s surprised that his family weren’t the first choice of target to hurt him – none of them are trainers, the only Pokémon in the house is the family Purrloin and she _definitely_ doesn’t know how to battle, not that she’d stand a chance if she did given how old and frail she is.

He wants to leave right now. There’s a strong feeling in his stomach urging him to just _go_ and find Sonia (and maybe give Oleana a bloody good shaking while he’s at it) but he’d promised Hop he’d let him know what was happening before he did anything and even though a part of him deeply resents that promise right now he’s determined to keep his word, so he quickly steps outside of the lab, whips his phone out and dials his brother’s number.

Luckily the younger lad’s on the ball, answering immediately, “Lee, mum and everyone are okay! No issues here! What about Sonia?”

He bites his lip hesitantly, but he knows he cannot keep this from him, “She’s gone. The lab’s been smashed. I think Oleana had her Froslass here and Yamper tried to battle it but couldn’t manage. He’s in a right state. He’ll definitely need to go to a Pokémon Centre.”

He hears a sharp intake of breath on the other end before Hop replies, “I’m coming down.”

“Hop-”

“I’m going to leave Snorlax and Cramorant at home to keep everyone safe, so I’ll be right down,” he continues firmly and before Leon can say anything else, Hop has ended the call. Leon curses, feeling rage fill his chest and he ends up aiming a kick at one of the broken desks. It doesn’t help vent his frustration – if anything it only fuels it because now his big toe is hurting. This is _his_ problem and _his_ fault so why does his stubborn little brother have to insist on endangering himself? Isn’t losing Sonia and the twins ( _oh Arceus the twins_ ) enough?

But then again, he can hardly stop him from doing what he feels like he needs to do. Oleana’s possibly got _two_ people Hop cares for (four, technically) and there’s also the matter of Gloria going in after her. He can hardly berate him for wanting to do everything he can to protect them when he’d do the same. He really needs to stop expecting others to hold back where he himself wouldn’t. But he can’t help but feel the urge to go and find her taking hold of him again and having to wait feels like it’s killing him inside, because who knows where Sonia is now, if she’s okay and if the twins are okay…

Thankfully he doesn’t have to wait around for too long. It only takes about five minutes for Hop to arrive riding on top of Zamazenta’s back.

He peers inside the lab briefly, his face falling, “I can’t believe it.”

Leon doesn’t respond. The note is still crumpled in his free hand, while the other arm supports the injured Yamper’s weight. Despite his small size, he’s not the lightest of Pokémon – a clear sign that Sonia has still been spoiling him rotten.

Hop glances at his brother, clearly concerned, “Are you okay?”  
  
Leon scowls at him, “What do _you_ think?”

“Yeah. Stupid question. Sorry,” Hop scratches the back of his head awkwardly, looking down at Zamazenta’s back and mindlessly stroking the hero’s fur.

 _What the fuck Leon? Hop’s not the one that kidnapped your pregnant girlfriend._ “I'm sorry. I didn’t mean to take it out on you.”

“I know,” Hop looks up with a small sad smile, “But we’ll get her back.”

He hesitates at that, “I’d rather you stayed with mum and the rest.”

“I can’t do that!” Hop snaps suddenly, his small smile slipping into a downward pout and his eyes narrowing, “Sonia’s my friend too! And Marnie’s probably there, and _Gloria’s_ gone after her! You expect me to just sit on my fucking arse and do nothing?”

Leon’s a tad taken aback – Hop’s a squeaky clean lad who never really swears. He’s also never really ever been this angry while in _his_ presence. He knows from others that he’s gotten angry and sworn at the likes of Bede before, and that he was pretty pissed at the royal twins when they pulled their mass dynamaxing stunt, but other than that he’s usually pretty logical and reasonable.

“You _said_ you thought I was strong enough, that we’re equals! So why do I have to sit at home twiddling my thumbs?! It’s not like I’m leaving mum without protection! I want to help you!”

“I _do_ think you’re strong enough,” Leon begins, trying to remain calm when everything inside of him is just screaming at him that he’s wasting valuable time that could be spent looking for Sonia, “I just-”

“I get it, you want to protect me and that’s fine but you can’t protect me forever, Lee!”

“I know that, but-”

“But what?”

“It’s _me_ Oleana’s trying to hurt,” he tries to explain, “This is _my_ problem. She’s already got Sonia and the twins. Who knows what could happen if she finds out _you’re_ nearby?”

“I don’t know. But I can’t sit back knowing my friends might be in trouble, I just _can’t_. I may not be as strong as you or Gloria but I think I can probably manage if it comes down to it,” the younger brother raises his head defiantly, “I mean, you said it yourself. I nearly kicked your arse last time we battled.”

Leon smiles slightly at the memory, “Yeah. You did.”

“I’m coming with you,” Hop says with finality, glaring at him with determination, “No arguments.”

“Fine,” Leon huffs impatiently, “But you need to do everything I tell you to, no arguments. We need to get Yamper to the Pokémon Centre first though. Sonia’ll kill me if anything bad happens to him.”

* * *

The first thing she notices when consciousness returns to her is that it’s cold, unusually so, and that every muscle in her body aches as if they’ve been drained of all of her energy reserves. Her body aches probably aren’t being helped by the hard surface she’s been lying on. Her fingernails scrape the floor and it feels rough, like a rotting wooden floor, but she can’t tell without opening her eyes, but no matter how hard she tries her eyelids just feel far too heavy.

Her stomach does a large leap that almost takes her by surprise. _Oh shit, the twins._ She tries to force as much energy as she can muster into her other arm, just enough so that she can drag her hand over her belly and feel the twins kicking against her hand. She needs to feel them, to know that both of them are safe, but she’s never really been able to tell the babies’ kicks apart, so for all she knows only one of them is doing alright and the other might not be. She hopes that’s not the case. After a few moments of shifting herself, her hand finally rests against her belly and almost as if on cue she feels another kick, this one pressing into her hand, almost as if the twins (or one of them at least) are trying to reach out to her. She prays it’s both of them.

_Okay, you **need** to open your eyes, Sonia. _

It’s hard when all her body wants to do is doze off but she’s nothing if not determined so with an inhale and an exhale she forces herself to open her eyes.

It’s dark, wherever she is. She tries to force herself to sit up but when she plants both of her arms beside of her to try and urge herself into a sitting position she ends up collapsing onto the floor again due to how wobbly she is. She lets out a curse under her breath – she’s never felt so bloody weak before and she _hates_ it. What the hell even _happened_ anyway?

She remembers hearing smashes and crashes from the main lab area. She remembers hurrying back to find her precious little Yamper unconscious and bleeding on the floor. She was going to call somebody. She was going to call the police. Then she was going to call Leon because _he’d_ know what to do but then… well, she can’t remember much after that. Just the cold and the overwhelming feeling of tiredness and… large hands on her? She’s not sure. It felt like there were fingers but they were too few and too thick to be a human’s fingers. Not only that, but a human wouldn’t cause as much damage to her lab. She can vaguely recall seeing that her desk had been smashed into a splintered mess, which makes her cross when she thinks about it because all of her paperwork had been there and she worked damned hard writing up all that information.

She’s also scared. Scared for herself, scared for her twins, scared for poor little Yamper who’s probably still hurt in the lab. She hopes with every piece of her heart that somebody notices something isn’t right so that at least her beloved Pokémon can get help. She hopes that someone finds her as well. She hopes that if she closes her eyes and opens them again she’ll find herself back in the lab or at home after a lovely morning spent shopping and that all of this is just a horrid nightmare brought on by her being exhausted. She’s not so optimistic about that, though.

She tries to sit up again and this time she has better luck with it. Her legs don’t feel quite as numb and her arms aren’t as wobbly so she’s able to sit herself up against a wall… she can’t quite make it out visually but it feels almost like it's wallpapered. _So I’m inside. That’s good. At least I don’t have to worry as much about what the weather’s like._ Her free hand slowly and shakily fumbles through her pockets to see if she has her phone on her but as she suspected there’s nothing but the key to the lab room holding the Wishing Stars.

She’s not quite sure why it’s cold. The weather, while not as hot as it could have been, was still uncomfortably warm when she went shopping this morning. But then again, who knows how long she’s been here? It might not even be the same _day_ as the attack at her lab.

Her hand brushes against something on the floor and she tenses because that feels suspiciously like… _hair?_ If it is, it’s tangled and almost matted. Her breath catches in her throat as she tries to quieten the sound of her own breathing because she can hear something now. It’s quiet but she’s almost certain that she can hear someone or something _breathing_.

She’s not alone.

At first she’s tempted to try and ignore the sound. Perhaps if she ignores it then it won’t really be there. Not that she’s having much luck with that strategy because the thought is plaguing her mind, blaring out in her brain relentlessly – _what if this is my kidnapper? And if it is… who? Did they do anything while I was out of it?_ She hopes not. Arceus, she hopes not. Not that they haven’t assaulted her enough as it is by possibly drugging her and dragging her to goodness knows where, but… she doesn’t want to think that anyone could have…

A small moan breaks the tense silence, coming from the direction of the hair. It sounds female. Quite young, too.

Then it hits her like a truck. _Of course. This has happened already to someone else._

She’s unsure if she should say anything, because her heart is still pounding fiercely in her chest but if she doesn’t then she may never know if her suspicions are correct so she hesitantly whispers, “Marnie?”

She squints, trying to see through the darkness but she’s not having much luck. She hears the moan again, more clearly than before, and she whispers the girl’s name again.

“Whozzat?”

_That’s definitely Marnie. Looks like I’ve found her. Go me._

“Marnie? It’s me, Professor Sonia Magnolia. We last saw each other at Nessa’s party?”

“Oh, the prof?” the girl slurs, clearly as drained of energy as Sonia herself feels, “Shit… she got you too huh?”

“Who?”

“That bloody _witch_ ,” the girl pauses to take a breath, “she said she’d do it. Said she had a bone t’ pick with someone else. If I had all my Pokémon…”

“Who, Marnie?”

“Oleana,” the girl hisses.

 _Oleana?_ Sonia lets out a small gasp in surprise. That… wasn’t what she’d expected. Granted the woman gave her the creeps but she’d never expect something like _this_. Does this mean… is Oleana the one who was behind the notes? But what reason would _Oleana_ have to hurt her and Marnie? Did Marnie even receive any notes? Didn’t Leon tell her that Piers told him that she hadn’t? She feels so confused right now.

So she asks the only thing she feels she can ask, “Why?”

“Hold on, I…” the girl murmurs, letting out a yawn, “’M so tired, I fuckin’ hate her bloody Froslass and that Drainin’ Kiss. Never gonna let Grimmsnarl learn that move _ever_.”

 _Well that explains how I got here and why I feel so tired._ “Do you know why?”

“Somethin’ abou’ Bede, ya know, the Ballonlea Gym Leader? That’s wha’ she said ‘bout takin’ me anyway.”

_“Bede?”_

“Yeah. Said she wanted t’ make him hurt. Said it was karma or some shit like that. I don’ know how that witch’s mind works.”

_Usurpers._

But what could _Bede_ have possibly usurped and why did Oleana feel like she had to take _her?_ Sonia had nothing to do with Bede! Unless…

“Did she say who else she wanted to hurt?”

“No,” Sonia can hear the girl trying to sit up, “Bu’ I got a good idea, ‘specially seein’ as she’s got you here.”

“Leon,” she croaks, her heart filling with dread. She hoped that wouldn’t have been the answer. But perhaps she’s known since Marnie told her it was to hurt Bede. What could Bede have usurped? The answer is obvious now that she thinks about it. She should have seen it sooner, then perhaps Marnie could have been found sooner and they could have avoided all of this, “Rose. She must be doing all of this because of _Rose_.”

Marnie gives a snort, “My bro always reckoned she had a thing for him. Though I’d say this goes beyond jus’ a thing.”

“So this whole thing must be because Leon and Bede got given attention from Rose or something? I didn’t even think the man swung that way or that he was a…” she can’t say it. She doesn’t _want_ to say it. The thought of it is too disgusting to her. But then if he’d tried anything like _that_ … Leon would have said something, surely? He’d have confided in her because he knows that she wants him to be able to tell her anything, good or bad.

Perhaps not. There’s still a lot of things he keeps to himself even now. That and both Bede and Leon seemed to have this strange way of defending Rose while both claiming they disliked him for all the bad stuff he’s done. _Oh Arceus, no._

“He weren’ a nonce if that's what you're thinkin',” Marnie says quietly, “So ya don’ need to worry ‘bout that.”

“A what?”

“A nonce. Kiddy fiddler. Pedo.”

“How do you know that?”

“Bede told me ‘bout all the shit he’s done. ‘Bout how he got him outta that orphanage and adopted him. Paid for him to have private treatments an’ stuff. Was like a model dad apparently until it turned out the prick was jus’ usin’ him to collect Wishin’ Stars for his precious vision.”

“Treatments for what?”

“Anythin’ and everythin’. Some of it's deep personal stuff. Ain’ my place to say. He told me in confidence an’ I’ll take it to the grave unless he says otherwise,” the girl says firmly and Sonia knows better than to carry on with that line of questioning, even though she thinks it’s a strange thing for Marnie to bring up, “Bu’ anyway he never touched him none. I asked him an’ he thought even the idea of it was stupid. So I believe him.”

She’s still going to ask Leon. If only to ease that sickening feeling growing in her gut. But if Bede said Rose never touched him, then perhaps that means at the very least that sexual abuse might not have been a factor. She hopes beyond all hope that it wasn’t. Perhaps he was just really fond of them? He’d always posed as a father figure when he used to appear alongside Leon on the telly.

 _He’s still a sick twat though_ , she thinks coldly, _a manipulative sick twat._

“Anyway _…_ what happened to you?” she asks, trying hard not to think of what things Rose may or may not have done to Leon and Bede, “Piers said you fought and stormed off?”

“Yeah,” Marnie replies and she sounds ashamed, “I got back home in a bit of a bad mood ‘cause me an’ Bede had a fight. Some real personal stuff was said, bu’ I won’t go into that ‘cause that ain’ for me to say either. But yeah, I got back an’ my head was still runnin’ kinda hot from tha’ fight an’ I came in an’ saw my bro-” she cuts herself off, almost as if she were about to admit to something that perhaps she didn’t want others knowing about, “well, he was doin’ somethin’ I’ve been tryin’ to help him stop for ages… an’ I jus’ lost it at him ‘cause it felt like no matter what I did I was wastin’ my time ‘cause he didn’ wanna help himself. An’ I jus’ ran out ‘cause I jus’ wanted to be on my own an’ away from everythin’. I was gonna come back once I’d calmed down ‘cause I know I was the one bein’ unreasonable.”

“So why didn’t you?”

“Well, I went out to the Wild Area for a bit. Morpeko followed me. She don’ like bein’ withou’ me ‘cause she gets all anxious. Was only gonna stick around for a couple o’ hours. Anyway while I was sittin’ down tryin’ to think of what I was gonna say when I got back a Gardevoir an’ a Froslass came up t’ us. I remember thinkin’ it was weird that a wild psychic type an’ a wild ghost type would be hangin’ out. Anyway that Froslass went right at Morpeko with everythin’ it had, like a bloody demon possessed. We gave it our best an’ we hurt it good bu’ then that fuckin’ Gardevoir jumped in an’ they ganged up on us. They were both really strong too, so… she got hurt badly. Then after that the Froslass came towards me… an’ then I woke up here,” the girl pauses to take a shaky breath before she whispers in a pained voice, “I dunno if Morpeko’s still out there.”

“Hop and Gloria found her,” Sonia reassures her, her hand finding the girl’s shoulder in the dark and rubbing it gently, “They got her to a Pokémon Centre. As far as I know she’s doing just fine.”

A sigh of relief could clearly be heard, “That’s good.”

Sonia licks her lips, turning to where she thinks Marnie is, “You said something about Draining Kiss?”  
  
“That’s what her Froslass has been usin’ when she needs t’ put me out or jus’ make me weak enough so that I don’t do a runner.”

“So she’ll do that to me?”

“She migh’, yeah,” Marnie sounds angry now, “So wha’ happened with you?”

Sonia tells her the whole story, including the part of how she felt something cold behind her, something Marnie almost certainly confirms was Oleana’s Froslass because she had felt the same coldness on her before she lost consciousness. When she’s done she finds she has enough energy to twirl her free red hair around her finger thoughtfully, “But what I want to know is, how did she get both of us here without anybody seeing her? Last I heard she was working in the Galar Mines, staying at the Budew Drop Inn and occasionally nipping into Turffield for lunch. Hammerlocke Hills and Wedgehurst are both quite far away from there and far away from each other. How could her Pokémon have dragged two unconscious people back all that way without attracting attention? That’s even assuming we’re even in the same area she’s been hanging around in, mind.”

“That Gardevoir of hers I reckon,” Marnie replies, sounding equally as thoughtful, “Maybe she got it to use Teleport. S’the only thing I can think of.”

“I don’t remember hearing about her having a Gardevoir.”

“S’new, apparently. I dunno, I don’ make a habit of learnin’ who has what Pokémon unless I know I’m gonna be battlin’ them.”

“Fair enough.”

Sonia lifts her knees to her chest (as closely as she can manage anyway with her pregnant belly) and curls her arms around them, trying to maintain at least some warmth. The silence that follows is deeply uncomfortable and the girl, despite how angry she appears to be, also seems to have an air of despair around her. Despair and guilt.

“Y’know, I reckon she ain’ t gonna upset Bede with me bein’ gone,” Marnie says uncomfortably, “After that row I reckon he wants nothin’ to do with me. He weren’ the only one to get real personal in that fight.”

She doesn’t know what to say to that – the last she’d heard the boy hadn’t gone out looking for her, suggesting that there is a possibility that the Ballonlea Gym Leader may either still be stewing or may have written off their friendship entirely. But at the same time, perhaps she should offer some reassurance. That’s the least she can do when they’re both stuck in this awful predicament, “Hop and Gloria have been looking non-stop for you since they heard you vanished, you know. You still have them. You always will.”

“I figured as much,” Sonia imagines Marnie is smiling wistfully, “They’re good mates, those two. They won’t ever give up on me, no matter how much a ratbag I can be sometimes. So I won’t give up either. I’m gonna get outta here if it kills me.”

“Do you have any ideas?”

“Not many,” the girl muses, “The room’s sealed pretty good. No windows. The only way out I can see is through the door an’ from what I remember of her comin’ in here that one time, she came down some stairs first. So we’re prolly in a cellar or somethin’.”

“So short of charging whoever or whatever opens that door next, we’re stuck.”

“Yup, though I’m more than willin’ to take my chances on chargin’ ‘em.”

“Have you tried it before?”

“Yup. Hasn’ worked so far but I reckon I’m due. It ain’t always her Froslass that comes in.”

She’s tempted but a nagging thought crops up in the back of her mind. _The twins. I can’t put the twins in danger by being reckless. If Oleana’s capable of kidnapping, what’s to say she’ll care about the possible harm she could do to two unborn babies? Especially if they’re the children of someone she claims to want to hurt._ Her hands slide onto her stomach, pressing against it with just enough firmness to gather whether or not the twins are responsive and she feels a firm kick against her hand.  
  
She needs to protect them and if that means staying put and waiting for someone else to come and find her, then she’ll have to grit her teeth and do just that. She hates it, hates the thought of just sitting around like a damsel-in-distress waiting to be rescued but she needs to put her daughters first.

“I’m sorry Marnie,” she voices, her voice cracking, “I don’t know if I should. The babies -”

“Right… I forgot. Yeah. O’ course. I get it,” the girl replies, and while she doesn’t sound argumentative, she does sound disappointed and almost defeated, “I mean, ya don’t exactly wanna be puttin’ yourself into a position where she or her ‘mons could really hurt your babies. Or make you start havin’ ‘em before they’re ready to come out. I mean, she _could_ totally do that anyway, mind. Would hurt your boyfriend really bad if somethin’ happened to ‘em. I wouldn’ put anythin’ past her at this point. She’s properly lost the plot.”

“I know. But I have to minimize the risk. I’ll just have to trust that Leon’ll find me…” she feels another strong kick against her other arm, “and he will. Because I know he won’t rest until we’re back home again. And it’s not just him. Hop, Gloria, your brother… they’re all out looking. And while I can’t speak for your brother, I know that Hop and Gloria are two of the most stubborn people I’ve ever met.”

“To be fair, my bro can be pretty fuckin’ stubborn too when he wants to be.”

“Then… I guess we’ll just have to trust them for now. In the meantime if Oleana turns up I’ll try and talk to her, I guess.”

Marnie snorts, “She won’t listen, that one. Like I said, she’s lost the plot.”

“I have to try.”

“Knock yourself out. Jus’ don’t be surprised when she doesn’t say much ‘bout what she’s doin’.”

* * *

It doesn’t take long for Leon and Hop to arrive in Turffield atop Charizard’s back. They decided pretty early on that perhaps they should enter the mines from the opposite end to Gloria and Bede in hopes that they may run into them on the way or perhaps find something they won’t. Hop fires off a text to Gloria letting her know what they’re up to. They don’t get a reply though, which only serves to make Hop anxious.

“I mean, what if she’s landed herself in more trouble than what she can cope with?” he asks nervously, “I mean, I know she’s the Champion and she’s definitely the strongest trainer I know but nobody’s _invincible_ , are they?”

Leon nods, “I understand. But we’ll have to trust her. Like you’ve just said, she’s the strongest trainer you know. Heck, she might be the strongest trainer _I_ know and I’ve met _a lot_ of strong trainers.”

It doesn’t do much to ease his brother’s anxiety but it’s all he can do right now. Heck, he’s finding it hard enough to keep his own anxiety under control. Goodness knows where Sonia is and the twins… _oh Arceus please let them be okay too._

“So Milo said he’d meet us on Route 4?” Hop says, trying to change the subject, something Leon can definitely appreciate.

“Yeah, he said he’d take us down to where he saw Oleana last. Presumably the same place Sonia went to when she went and had that chat with her but I don’t know about that for certain.”

“That’s something at least.”

“It is.”

A silence falls between them for a few moments before Hop breaks it with a tentative arm on his older brother’s arm, “They’ll be okay.”

 _Hop always has been too perceptive._ Leon gives his brother a small smile, “I know. She’s strong too, in her own way.”

Hop nods in agreement, “Yeah. She is.”

The two brothers continue up Route 4, eyes skimming over the beautiful golden fields of wheat. They catch sight of a Pikachu and an Eevee chasing each other and it’s almost as if everything is just perfectly normal. Like their worlds _haven’t_ been yanked out from under their feet. A wild Yamper stares at the two of them with its tongue lolling out, its head tilted to the side and its eyes filled with curiosity. While Hop smiles, Leon doesn’t make eye contact with it. Looking at it makes him think of Sonia’s own Yamper, battered and bleeding in Wedgehurst’s Pokémon Centre.

They find Milo right by the entrance into the mines. He looks almost as worried as they feel. He raises his arm awkwardly to greet them, “Hey.”

“Hey,” Hop replies with a wave.

Milo grins weakly, “I wish we could have met under better circumstances.”

Leon doesn’t beat around the bush, “So you said you can show us the place where you last knew Oleana was working?”

The Turrfield Gym Leader nods, “I can’t guarantee it’s where she’s been working recently, but I do know the mines reasonably well. Enough to probably know all the nooks and crannies. If she’s here, we’ll find her.”

“Good,” Leon breathes out, running a hand through his hair, “Hopefully we’ll run into Gloria on the way.”

“Hopefully,” Hop mumbles.

“Lead on then, Milo.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks again for the kudos and comments! :D


	22. Questioning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leon will need to be at his sharpest when meeting Rose, because that man is too smart for his own good so he’ll need to go in with the mindset that he could potentially attempt to manipulate or divert him.
> 
> He always was good at that, even when he was a child.

There’s no sign of Oleana in the mines.

Leon probably shouldn’t be as surprised by that as he is. According to the workers, she stopped coming to work down there roughly around the day Marnie vanished; something that he knows now is not a coincidence. He, Hop and Milo meet Gloria about half an hour into their search and when he asks her about Bede, she goes quiet.

“I saw him,” she tells them shakily, “He told me to sod off and leave him to it. That he didn’t need me. That he never will.”

She closes herself off to the subject of the Ballonlea Gym Leader after that. Leon probably shouldn’t be surprised by that either – Bede’s always been quite vocal about his dislike of Gloria after all, insisting she was a nuisance and that she always messes with his life. He probably partially blames Gloria for the fallout after Stow-on-Side or for everything that happened after that (though he’s a tad confused on that because becoming a Gym Leader isn’t necessarily a bad thing to have happened to him given that the lad supposedly likes Pokémon and battling). Gloria’s a complete opposite to that boy in every way possible – she likes to joke and mess around and not take things seriously while Bede has always given the impression off that he has a stick permanently rammed up his backside.

Still, he thinks about how Hop curls an arm around Gloria’s shoulder, asking her if she’s alright and he can’t help but wonder if there’s more to Bede and Gloria’s relationship (or lack thereof) than what it appears. Not that he cares all that much when his thoughts are constantly revolving around Sonia and their unborn twins, hoping that wherever they are, that they’re not being hurt.

They arrive back at Turrfield Gym later that evening to gather their thoughts and discuss any potential ideas on where Oleana might now be hiding.

“So we know she’s not in these mines,” Hop breaks the silence, “What about the other mines? The ones connecting Hulbury and Motostoke?”

“Can’t rule it out. Can’t rule anything out,” Gloria replies thoughtfully, seeming to have pushed her encounter with Bede out of her mind, “Was it ever specified that Oleana only ever volunteered in the Motostoke-Turrfield mines?”

“I don’t think so,” Milo says quietly, “I know I’ve seen her going in and out of those particular mines a number of times so I guess I just assumed that Rose asked her to work in those ones.”

“She’s been in other places I think,” Leon murmurs, “I’m sure I’ve seen her in Wyndon a handful of times. I just assume she goes wherever Rose wants her to go.”

“So we go and see Rose,” Gloria states, straightening her back, “It’s probably our best option, right?”

“I agree,” Hop says with an enthusiastic nod, “But only one person needs to go and see him and even though he’s behind bars, I don’t like the thought of you being in a room alone with him, Glor.”

“He’s got no Pokémon on him,” the current Champion argues, “And even if he did I’d kick his arse anyway. I’ve done it before.”

“That doesn’t make me feel much better about it. Not with the mind games he’s played in the past.”

“I can take care of myself, Hop.”

“I know you can, I just don’t want you to get hurt!”

“ _I’ll_ go and see him,” Leon interjects before this can turn into a nasty argument – it’s funny how his brother can be just as protective over those he loves as he himself is, “He took me under his wing when I became Champion and I’ve worked with him for all that time. I know him better than most people and he’ll probably be more likely to talk to me than to you. No offense.”

“None taken,” Gloria says with a frown, “Are you sure? It’s not like that man didn’t put you through some shit as well.”

“I’m sure,” he replies with a small grin, “Besides, this will free you guys up for searching.”

“Searching where?” Milo chimes in, looking confused, “Oleana could be anywhere by now.”

Leon furrows his brows in thought before answering, “Milo, can you run through the mines again tomorrow? Just to make sure we didn’t miss anything. Also I’ll need you to text Nessa and Kabu so they can search the other mines.”

“What about us?” Hop asks quietly, twiddling his fingers in his lap nervously.

“I need you to try and find Bede and stick close to him,” he murmurs quietly, “He wants to find Oleana as much as we do. Opal said to me on the phone that the pain of losing someone you care about is unbearable. He’s supposedly friends with Marnie. If Oleana took Sonia to get at me, then she probably took Marnie to get at him. Even if he doesn’t want our help, there’s a chance he could know something that could help us. We’ve _got_ to find her.”

Hop pulls a face at that, “This is going to be awkward then.”

“I get that he has some less than pleasant feelings towards you both but I’d say Sonia and Marnie’s safety is more important than that,” Leon says firmly. _The twins too. They’re important too._

Gloria nods in agreement, “It’ll be fine. I can handle whatever the brat has to throw at me.”

“I don’t know if _I_ can,” Hop mumbles under his breath bitterly, “If he so much as looks at you funny I might just thump him.”

“No you won’t,” Gloria replies firmly, interlinking her fingers with Hop’s, “In any case, I’ve made my choice. I know he hates it but he at least respects me enough to not try anything.”

A flicker of realization passes through Leon at those words but it’s not important right now so he pushes it aside. Whatever is going on between Gloria, Bede and Hop isn’t his business anyhow. Sonia and the twins are his top priority. He can’t lose sight of that. He _won’t_ lost sight of that.

“I’ll see if I can get a meeting arranged with Rose for tomorrow,” Leon remarks, feeling annoyed that there won’t be enough time to meet with him today, “Raihan knows the prison warden so I’m sure he can sort something out for me. That and I’ll need to let Piers know what’s happening, if he’s even there. He probably won’t be.”

“I think first and foremost we should all consider getting some sleep,” Milo interjects again, “We’re not going to get very far if we don’t keep ourselves reasonably well rested.”

“Yeah,” Gloria says reluctantly, “I suppose you’re right about that.”  
  
“I don’t imagine I’ll be getting much sleep,” Hop responds, his tone tense.

“Still, you should try,” Milo tells him warmly, “I have room for someone to kip on my sofa if you need to.”

“I’ll be fine, thank you,” Gloria declines gracefully, “I’ve got all my camping gear.”

“Me too,” Hop chimes in, almost too quickly.

“Leon?” Milo turns to him with a raised eyebrow, “Sofa’s yours if you want it.”

He hesitates, then shakes his head quietly, “I’ll probably head up to Hammerlocke and stay at Raihan’s so I can get an early start. I don’t want to hang around.” _Not when Sonia and the twins are at risk. I need to find them. I can’t fail them again._

“Right,” the Turffield Gym Leader says softly, “Just… don’t overdo it, yeah? They’re going to need you to be on top of your game, now more than ever. You won’t be if you exhaust yourself.”  
  
“I know.”

Milo frowns at him, looking like he’s not quite sure if he believes him but he ends up nodding anyway, “Good.”

* * *

He doesn’t sleep for long once he gets to Hammerlocke. Heck, if it weren’t for Raihan practically dragging him back to his place for some shut-eye after filling him in on what was happening he may well have stayed up all night pacing Hammerlocke’s streets waiting for his meeting with Rose, or he’d have just taken off altogether to continue searching until he needed to come back. He did lash out at his best friend for it, but the dragon tamer didn’t appear to take it personally and, if anything, he’s probably right. Leon _will_ need to be at his sharpest when meeting Rose, because that man is too smart for his own good so he’ll need to go in with the mindset that he could potentially attempt to manipulate or divert him.

He always was good at that, even when he was a child, with his remarks about how he _understands_ his desire to want to see his family more often but he wouldn’t want to disappoint his brother or his family now by letting his standards slip, would he? Leon wouldn’t want Raihan beating him next time around because he can’t stay on top of his game, would he?

Leon wouldn’t want to let the people of Galar down when he is their bright, shining star – someone people look up to to aspire them to be better and stronger trainers.

Leon wouldn’t want to disappoint Chairman Rose, because _he_ thinks he’s something special, a prodigy. Leon will want him to keep saying nice, confidence-boosting things like that because his dad certainly never did.

Leon wouldn’t want to prove his father right. That he was a failure. That deep down he was never meant to be anything more than some unimportant person in a dead-end job out in the middle of nowhere, never achieving beyond the station his dad said he belonged at.

Leon’s ready for Rose this time though. He likes to think he’s grown a lot since that child who would have done anything for a morsel of praise. He doesn’t need it, not when he has people who actually matter being genuine with him. Not when he has Sonia, his mum, Hop, Gloria and Raihan among several others always having his back, reassuring him while also calling him out when he fucks up. He doesn’t need a father figure in his life any more. Or at least he thinks if he keeps telling himself that then he should get through this meeting swimmingly.

Once it’s over he can go back to looking for Sonia, hopefully with a clearer idea on where to look.

When morning finally rolls around, Raihan greets him (surprisingly early) with a bowl of porridge, “Sorry mate, this is all I have in.”

“It’s fine, I’m not hungry.”

“You’re still going to eat something.”

“Are you going to make me?”

“If I have to. You may or may not be stronger than me in Pokémon battles at the moment, but I’d say we’re definitely on an even keel physically. I’ll pin you down and force feed you if I have to.”

Leon looks up, about to argue, before realizing it’s fruitless. Leon knows Piers is right in his assessment of the dragon tamer – Raihan is capable of being a very stubborn man, annoyingly so, “Fine.”

So he sits, spooning the porridge into his mouth resentfully. Raihan slumps down beside him on the sofa bed, “So the meeting’s at eight o’clock. They said not to be late.”

“I won’t be.”

“No you won’t, because I’ll be going with to make sure you don’t get lost on the way there and since Piers can’t be there himself I’m stepping in for him.”

“Fine.”

“I called him to check in, by the way. Nothing on Route 3.”

“Figures. How’s he holding up?”

“Well, let’s just say that if he gets to Oleana before anyone else, she might not be breathing for much longer,” Raihan remarks darkly, “To say he’s pissed is an _understatement_.”

“Wow.”

“Yeah. But then again he’s never liked her. She’s always had that stick up her arse where Rose is concerned and Piers has always done everything he could to piss him off,” Raihan runs a hand through his dreadlocks, “So yeah, major clashes there. Possibly another reason why she went for Marnie instead of, say, Opal.”

Leon lets out an aggravated sigh, “I know how he feels though. This whole thing is fucked up.”

“Yeah. Heck, _I_ want to hurt her because of the pain she’s put him through,” he looks over to Leon quickly and raises his hands defensively, “I won’t. You don’t have to worry about that. But I get how he feels… and how you must feel too,” he pauses for a moment in thought before he continues, “Still, running in without being prepared won’t help Sonia or Marnie. You _need_ to eat and sleep so you can stay sharp. No one wants you to run yourself ragged. Not when Sonia and those babies need you. ”

“You sound like Milo.”

Raihan snorts, “Now _that’s_ a comparison I never thought I’d hear in my lifetime.”

“Be nice.”

“I _was,”_ Raihan replies smartly, “Have you _seen_ those muscles of his lately? He puts us _both_ to shame.”

“Can’t argue with that.”

When he’s done eating he’s almost itching to get out of the door and it seems Raihan is just as eager to get this over with as he is so they both leave just as the clock strikes seven. They walk side by side mostly in a tense silence, unsure of what to expect from this meeting. Is Rose even _aware_ of Oleana’s actions? She’s probably the only person in Galar who even bothers to keep in contact with him through choice these days (or at least that’s what they think), but that doesn’t necessarily mean she’s been open to him about what she’s been planning. Regardless of whether he knows or not, he’ll probably be able to offer some insight, providing he’s willing to work with them instead of against them.

The walk is a slow one but they still make it to the prison relatively quickly. The warden – a broad-shouldered young woman named Esther – invites them to stay in the staff room and have a cup of tea while they’re waiting for their appointed meeting time to roll around. Raihan is still adamant that he’s going to be joining Leon to discuss the matter as well and while part of Leon wishes he wouldn’t (he’s more than capable of handling Rose on his own) he also can’t help but appreciate his best friend’s desire to help, even if he’s doing this mostly for Piers.

Finally after what seems like ages, during which Leon has gotten up and paced the room more than once, the warden returns and guides them into a small interview room separated in half by a barrier. Two plain seats await them which they sit on, impatiently waiting for Rose to be brought in on the other side of the barrier. Leon takes a deep breath – he hasn’t seen the man since his sentencing, and he still doesn’t know what to expect. It’s not like Rose was ever cruel to him. On the contrary, he always gave off the vibe of being friendly and approachable. He just had a penchant for manipulating him into doing the things he wanted him to do which, when he thinks about it nowadays, makes him feel weak, pathetic and stupid because why didn’t he see it earlier?

He doesn’t have to think about it for long, thankfully. After a few moments, the former chairman is led handcuffed into the room by two prison officers and he almost immediately is seated in the hard chair on the other side of the barrier. Leon bites the inside of his cheek, though he feels Raihan bump the back of his hand against his which makes him feel just a little bit better.

He clears his throat, watching as the prison officers shift away towards the door closest to them, “Rose.”

“Leon,” Rose nods his head slightly, his lips curling upwards into a smile, “It’s been a while. How have you been?”

“You can pack it in with the nice act,” Raihan snaps before Leon can even think of a reply to give, “This isn’t a friendly visit.”

The former chairman furrows his brows, “Raihan. It’s a pleasure to see you too.”

The gym leader remains undeterred, “Where’s Oleana?”

“I’m sorry?”

“Come on, old man! You know who I’m talking about.”

“I’m aware of _who_ you are talking about, but I’m lost as to _why_ you seem to think I would know where she is.”

“You don’t know?” Leon blurts out, cutting off Raihan from whatever he was about to say next, “You don’t know what’s _happened?_ ”

“I’m only aware of whatever newspapers that I’m brought tell me,” Rose’s expression slips into a frown, “Outside of that, I’m not very up to speed on the latest news.”

“So you know about Gym Leader Marnie’s disappearance?”

“I’ve heard about that, yes. A sad occurrence to be sure. I trust you are doing all you can to locate her?”

Leon nods, “Of course we are. I’ve called a halt to the challenge for the time being.”

Rose’s frown deepens, “A risky decision. The sponsors won’t be happy and the people of Galar will be most disappointed.”

“Bollocks to that,” Raihan hisses, “This whole thing wouldn’t be an issue if your poxy assistant didn’t kidnap her in the first place!”

He at least seems genuinely surprised at that, “Are you saying _Oleana_ is responsible for the Spikemuth Gym Leader’s disappearance? A far-fetched accusation, to be sure.”

“Not far-fetched at all,” Leon says quietly, “Opal told me that Bede was contacted by her. She was pretty certain that it was her and I trust that judgement. Gym Leader Marnie is a close friend of Bede and it’s never been a secret that Oleana hates him, much like she hates me. Am I right about that?”

The former chairman’s face seems to fall, and there’s a trace of… _guilt?_

_He knew all along. He knew Oleana hated me and he lied about it._

“This isn’t just how she treats everyone, is it? You’ve always known that. I don’t know why you felt the need to keep lying about it. When I was ten, okay, perhaps I can understand it. I was a child, you didn’t want me to feel uncomfortable or worried. But after that? When I was an adult? What reason did you have to try and pretend then when it was obvious?”

“It didn’t _seem_ to be obvious to you. You were quite happy to repeat the same words to others who happened to meet her as well,” Rose says with a tired sigh, “In any case, it wasn’t so much pretending as it was trying to keep my focus on what I felt was important. Which was, is and always will be Galar itself.”

“Eternatus, right?” Raihan interrupts with a scowl, “You were focused on Eternatus and bringing about another Darkest Day.”

“Yes,” the former chairman’s jaw tightens, “Eternatus.”

“It didn’t matter that your little lackey was making life hell for Leon,” Raihan continues coldly, “Loading his schedule to the point where he didn’t get to hang around with friends very often and guilt-tripping him whenever he so much as hinted that he wanted to see his family. It didn’t matter that she manipulated Bede into destroying Stow-on-Side’s mural. None of that mattered so long as you got wha _t you_ wanted.”

“I did what I felt was best for Galar.”

“You nearly destroyed everything!”  
  
“A major oversight on my part. One I deeply regret. I… didn’t expect Eternatus to be so powerful.”

“That doesn’t make you any less guilty.”

“I know that. I’m serving my time.”

“It’s not enough.”  
  
“No, perhaps it’s not,” Rose sighs, looking at his hands on the table, “But that’s not what we’re here to discuss, is it? What do you want to know about Oleana?”

“Where is she?” Raihan hisses and Rose shrugs his shoulders, “I’m afraid I don’t know that. She hasn’t visited me for months. The last time I spoke with her was via telephone a few weeks ago. I asked her to return to the mines and keep an eye on things there. Voluntary community service. She felt just as badly as I do about everything that happened and I wanted to offer her a means of moving forward and repairing relations with the people of Galar.”

“And how did she feel about that?” Leon asks with a frown.

“I don’t know. You know as well as I do that Oleana keeps her feelings under a very tight lock and key until it becomes too much for her. She has always been that way, ever since… well, that isn’t important.”

“What can you tell me about her? Is there anything that you can tell me that might help me find her?” he can’t believe he’s about to do this but he’s desperate… he _needs_ to find her, “ _Please._ She hasn’t just got Marnie. She’s got _Sonia._ ”

He raises an eyebrow at them on the other side of the barrier, “I see.”

“I’m sure you know Sonia’s got buns in the oven, too,” Raihan interjects darkly.  
  
“Yes, I’ve heard about that. I would offer you my congratulations but I’m sure you’re not interested in such sentimentalities at present,” Rose’s eyes meet Leon’s, causing the former Champion to wince slightly. He wishes he wouldn’t look at him like that, with such sympathy and understanding, because he can’t tell any more if it’s genuine or an act with him. It’s always made him uncomfortable, even when he was a kid and Rose would give him those sympathetic looks because of his father. That, and it’s not him that deserves sympathy in any case. _He’s_ not the one who’s been kidnapped and being held goodness knows where. Rose lets out another pained sigh, “I can only imagine the pain and worry you must be experiencing right now. I’ll tell you all I can.”

Raihan leans back in his chair, folding his arms across his chest while still wearing a scowl which clearly says he’s not going to stand for any bullshit. Leon, meanwhile, leans forward slightly, clasping his hands tightly together in his lap.

Rose takes a deep breath, “I met Oleana when she was a girl in Wyndon. I had just finished closing my first big business deal and I fancied something to eat so I walked to the bakery. On my way there, I saw something by the bins around the back of a cafe. A young girl, no older than fourteen, fishing around inside the bins for something to eat with the tiniest Trubbish I had ever seen. I was… concerned, I must admit. I didn’t have much experience in teenage girls but I knew that she was incredibly thin and ragged for a girl of that age. I approached her, asked her if I could buy her something to eat. She was distrusting. I imagine any fourteen year old girl _would_ be wary of a strange man offering to buy things for her. But she must have come to the conclusion that her hunger was a more pressing issue, because she eventually accepted. Of course, it helps that I can be very persuasive, as you well know, Leon.”

Leon tenses in his seat but he doesn’t say anything. The former chairman continues his tale, “It took me some time but I encouraged her to open up. That’s when I learnt she was homeless. She had no known family and her only companion was her Trubbish. I’m sure you can imagine it was difficult to think of a child living in such a way, especially one as intelligent as her. Even despite her terrible living circumstances, she had a sharp, scientific mind. She reminded me a lot of myself when I was at that age – namely in that she had a strong will to survive and a desire to better herself. It was because of that that I offered her a home with me.”

“She refused, of course. But I’m nothing if not persistent. I spent many days scouring the alleys in an attempt to locate her. Whenever I did, I would persuade her to join me for lunch and dinner. I must have posed my offer to her a number of times. In the end, I finally managed to persuade her – not in terms of her having a home and never having to worry about food – but by appealing to her desire to learn. You see, I learnt that she wanted to be a researcher. Coincidentally at that time I’d learnt of the existence of a potential power source that could guarantee prosperity to Galar for many millennia to come. I thought it would be brilliant – I could knock out two Rookidee with one stone.”

“So you used her,” Raihan says pointedly, his lips thinning further, “You used her to learn more about Eternatus.”

“I don’t blame you for thinking that, but I can assure you that I didn’t merely see her as a means to an end. I did… care for her. Much like a father would care for his daughter. I’ve always hated seeing children suffer, as I’m sure you know from my many donations to various children’s charities over the years.”

“Couldn’t have cared _that_ much. Didn’t stop you from leaving kids living in Spikemuth to starve,” Raihan mutters coldly under his breath, which the former chairman seems to have heard.

“Spikemuth was… a difficult issue. Piers and I never saw eye to eye on it. I could hardly help when he and the leader before him were both determined to prevent me from doing so.”

“You wanted to strip Spikemuth of its identity and history and drive out all of those who wouldn’t have been able to afford the new rental prices your bloody leech landlord employees would have set up! How can you _blame_ Piers for not wanting that?”

“This isn’t what we’re here for, mate,” Leon says softly, shakily clenching his fists in his lap. Of course, he gets Raihan’s anger on Piers’ behalf, but this is something that can be addressed later, if it warrants it. After all, Spikemuth is on the mend now without needing to compromise everything that makes the city what it is. Sonia and Marnie are what’s important right now. He needs to find Sonia, needs to make sure she and the twins are safe…

Raihan glowers at him but doesn’t say another word. Rose gives Leon a small smile which he doesn’t return before he continues his story, “In any case, Oleana wouldn’t have been able to help me right away. She had to finish school first. I paid privately for her to attend the best comprehensive academy I could find, and then proceeded to pay for her to attend college and university as well. During that time I set her up with her own little flat in Wyndon on the condition that she stayed on top of her studies and then helped me with my research into Eternatus afterwards.”

“Don’t see what any of this has got to do with her hating Leon and Bede enough to make her kidnap people,” Raihan grumbles, but Rose only smiles in reply – something that seems to visibly irk the Gym Leader.

“I’m getting to that. You see, she worked well as a researcher. She was passionate about it, could list off anything about any particular species of Pokémon, almost like she was a Pokédex herself. I was very impressed and I gladly showered her with praise whenever I could. Praise that she seemed to enjoy a little _too_ much, as I later learned. The day she located the whereabouts of Eternatus’ remains she invited me into her office. We discussed what she knew about Eternatus from her research, a very normal conversation for us. Until something in her suddenly seemed to snap, almost out of nowhere.”

Rose seems to hesitate and there's a flash of what appears to be guilt in his eyes, something Leon doesn’t think he’s ever seen from the man in all the time he’s known him, before he carries on, “She… blurted out that she was in love with me. That she had been in love with me since she was a teenager. That she simply couldn’t keep it a secret any more and that there was nothing in the world that she loved more than making me happy.”

There’s a small intake of breath that can be heard from the two men listening to the story but they do not interrupt. Rose strokes his beard awkwardly with one of his cuffed hands, his eyes still filled with sadness and regret, “As you can imagine, I was mortified. Oleana had technically been in my care since she was fourteen and I saw her more as a daughter figure than a potential love interest. Not only that, but I’m sure you could imagine the reactions people would have. It would be assumed that I groomed her from a young age. There would certainly have been a scandal. So I turned her down as gently as I could. She seemed to take that in stride and from then on, she never said another word about it. I feared she would leave, so I offered her double her salary to ensure she stayed to complete her research into Eternatus, and I told her that she meant a lot to me, which wasn’t a lie. Thankfully that was enough to keep her, but I made it a point to remain strictly professional with her from that point onward. No more friendly praise meant that she couldn’t misconstrue my words. I stopped treating her like she was someone who meant anything to me and started treating her like she was just any employee, in order to protect us both.”

Rose’s eyes meet Leon’s again, “You became Champion shortly after that. I won’t deny, I was attached to you from the beginning. A bright young boy who eagerly strived to prove himself and be a better person, yet… there was pain underneath your happy exterior. Pain I wanted to help you with. You didn’t have a father figure any more and I felt a strong urge to provide you with that, especially given that I couldn’t be a parental figure to Oleana any more. I think she sensed that. She immediately saw my preference for your company.”

“And resentment built,” Leon finishes, shooting a quick glance at Raihan who thankfully doesn’t seem to have taken his eyes off of Rose.

“It was the same thing with Bede,” Rose exhales, sounding tired, “I went to the Motostoke orphanage. A means of reminding myself of why I was working towards my goals. I saw him then. A strange child being teased mercilessly by the other children for the crime of insisting that he was who he said he was.”

Raihan blinks in surprise, “What do you mean by that?”

Rose looks at Leon with a piercing stare, “ _You_ already know, don’t you? Every Gym Leader in Galar has their own personal file, which includes information about all aspects of their person. I assume as the standing chairman you’ve been privy to this information?”

Leon nods stiffly. Rose turns to face Raihan, “I’m afraid I cannot go into detail about that. It isn’t my secret to tell, nor is it Leon’s. If Bede wishes to tell others about it then he will, in his own time. I will respect his wishes on that.”

Raihan looks like he’s about to interject but thinks better of it. Leon, meanwhile, shifts in his seat impatiently, not really caring about whatever Rose’s relationship with Bede was because it’s not important to him right now, “Do you have _any_ ideas on where Oleana might be?”  
  
“I’m sorry, I don’t.”

“No places you and Oleana used to go to?”

“Not many. Other than our offices and the odd restaurant… I do remember that we occasionally frequented an old daycare centre near Motostoke when I had business meetings down there. It was how she got her other Pokémon.”

“The one on Route 5?” Leon asks with a frown.

“Not the one you’re probably thinking of. Before the one that you are probably most familiar with, there was another day care, buried in a thicket of woods on the lower half of that route. It was a bit run down, but the people were friendly. Eventually though they had to abandon that building for the one they’re in now. They needed a much better position so they could get more business and the old building didn’t meet safety requirements that were being brought in at the time.”

Raihan suddenly shifts forward, “I didn’t know there was a building there… Leon, do you think-”

Leon’s eyes light up in realization, a feeling of hope brewing within, “It’s possible.”  
  
“I’ll ring Piers and ask him to get over there and have a look. He’s close to it anyway.”

“I assume you’ll be off then?” Rose asks with a raised eyebrow, “Given that you have a possible place to investigate?”

“Yes,” Leon says, getting to his feet immediately. He supposes he ought to say thank you, even if this man has caused so much pain, it _is_ something he didn’t know before. Something that could hopefully help. So he swallows down the bitter taste in his throat, “Thank you, sir. I appreciate your help.”

The older man smiles sadly, “Of course. I hope you are able to find everyone safe and well. And please do feel free to visit me from time to time, if it’s alright with you. It does get rather lonely here.”

Leon doesn’t answer that, instead choosing to follow Raihan out of the door as quickly as he possibly can.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's a potential location! Anyway, thanks again for the kudos and the comments!


	23. The Price of Rejection

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “You want to hurt Leon.”  
> “Yes.”  
> “Because of Rose?”  
> “Somewhat.”  
> “And that’s the same thing with Bede, right?”  
> “It is.”  
> “I don’t get it… why?”

Sonia is sick of the cold. It’s only been just over a day, maybe two (she’s not entirely sure), but she already misses the obnoxious heat that she initially found difficult to cope with.

She’s also sick of the weak feeling in her muscles caused by the visiting Froslass, who along with one of Oleana’s other Pokémon, brings in food for her and Marnie. Well at least Oleana isn’t so heartless as to let them starve, though she did briefly consider that maybe the food could be poisoned. The only thing that’s convinced her otherwise is the sheer fact that Marnie’s still here and she’s definitely _not_ poisoned or ill in any way. That, and she still has to eat for the sake of the twins.

Oleana’s Pokémon are also the only things that seem to bring light into the room. Light which, after mostly being exposed to darkness for even as short a time as she has been, stings her eyes and causes a pain to shoot through her head. It makes her wonder if this is what vampires would feel like before they died.

Oleana herself, however, doesn’t make an appearance though until later and when she does, Marnie doesn’t hesitate to get her verbal claws out.

“So her majesty graces us with her presence,” the girl hisses coldly, feebly pushing aside the plate of lukewarm chicken nuggets, “Well, ain’t that flatterin’?”

Oleana raises an eyebrow at her, her expression still emotionless and robotic, but she doesn’t say anything, instead choosing to seat herself opposite them on the floor, her own plate of food in hand. It’s not like they can do much to her – Froslass made sure of that before the woman came in, sapping just enough of their energy that their legs now feel like jelly and their arms can barely lift more than one small thing at a time, and even if that weren’t the case, neither of them have any Pokémon on them and Oleana’s Salazzle is watching them from the corner with narrowed eyes, presumably in case they try anything.

Still, at least they still have enough energy to be able to think and communicate and that’s really what Sonia needs most right now – her wits.

The platinum blonde turns to face the redhead, regarding her thoughtfully as if she were one of the things she was researching, “An expecting mother needs to eat.”

Whatever Sonia is expecting, it certainly isn’t that. She doesn’t have an answer to that, because she was half expecting Oleana to perhaps go into some rant like some crazed supervillain or just be an outright gloating bitch. She wasn’t expecting her to act like she cares about whether or not she eats or whether her unborn children live or die (even though her demeanour still comes across as uncaring). _She must be trying to trick me or lull me into a false sense of security. It’s the only thing that makes sense._

Marnie isn’t having any of it, “Piss off, actin’ like ya care! We know ya don’t!”

Oleana briefly glances at the girl before choosing to ignore her, twisting herself to face Sonia, almost as if she’s pretending Marnie isn’t there. She pushes her own food aside, crossing her legs and placing her chin on the palm of her hand, “Professor Sonia Magnolia. It’s been a while.”

“It has,” she croaks in reply without even thinking about it. She probably should address the situation she’s in though, because this isn’t just a friendly chat this woman has come in for, “Where are we?”

“Nowhere special,” Oleana says, no emotion present on her face. It seems like the woman’s walls are well and truly up as she’s not letting anything that suggests how she feels about this situation slip through.

“Is it near anywhere I know of?”  
  
“Possibly.”  
  
“I told ya, there ain’t any point in talkin’ to her. She won’t answer ya properly,” Marnie growls in the background, “She wouldn’ answer me properly when I asked her things.”

Sonia bites the inside of her cheek in annoyance. She _has_ to keep trying, “Why are we here?”

Oleana doesn’t answer, choosing to inspect her food instead. She holds a chicken nugget between her thumb and forefinger, scanning it with what appears to be distaste. Sonia fights the urge to say something she might regret, instead opting to continue with her line of questioning, “You were the one who wrote those notes, weren’t you?”

Oleana seems to hesitate for a second before she bows her head slightly in an awkward nod.

“Why?”

“I’m sure you already have suspicions as to why, a smart woman such as yourself.”

“You want to hurt Leon.”

The platinum blonde looks up at her now and it’s eerie how much it looks like she doesn’t care even when she’s now wearing a small smile on her lips, “Yes.”

“Because of Rose?”

“Somewhat.”

“And that’s the same thing with Bede, right?”

“It is.”

“I don’t get it… _why?”_

She remains silent, returning to examining her food. Marnie, who Sonia can now see somewhat clearly even amidst the darkness, turns to face her with a scowl, “‘Cause she’s a nutter an’ ‘cause Rose liked ‘em both better than her. He gave ‘em special treatment. That’s it, ain’t it?”

Oleana glances up at Marnie, looking at her like she were nothing more than shit on her shoe, “That is part of it.”

“But how is that _their_ fault?” Sonia exclaims in frustration, “That sounds like it was all _Rose!_ If anything shouldn’t _he_ be the one you blame for that?”

“Mr. Rose has been good to me,” Oleana murmurs, though it sounds almost like she’s saying it to convince herself as much as them. She takes a tiny bite out of her chicken nugget before continuing, “He has only ever wanted to protect and help others.”

Sonia bites back the urge to say something she might regret because Rose’s idea of wanting to protect and help others has nearly caused the end of everything, but she knows that if she says that out loud while she’s at this woman’s mercy then it might not end well for her or the twins. At the very least she won’t get the answers she wants and she’ll lose out on a chance to appeal to Oleana’s better senses, if she has any. She has to remain calm, “So you resent Leon and Bede for showing up and what? Stealing his attention?”

“Like I said. _Somewhat_.”

“Could you go into more detail?”

“I don’t think I will, thank you.”

“For fuck’s sake,” Marnie grumbles, “You get your Pokémon t’ take us hostage and keep us in here weak enough to make sure that we can’t run off an’ you can’t even tell us what you’re hopin’ to get outta this?”

“I can tell you. I choose not to.”

“The prof’s pregnant, ya know?” Marnie continues angrily, “Ya plannin’ on keepin’ her here until she pops? What if things go wrong when she’s havin’ them? An’ even if that don’t happen, how you gonna keep two li’l cryin’ babies hidden as well as us? You gonna have your Froslass drain _them_ dry as well? ”

Oleana doesn’t answer and for the first time, Sonia thinks she can see a flicker of emotion cross over the other woman’s face. Something that looks like uncertainty. She’s not sure if she feels more confident at seeing it – if anything, the fact that Oleana doesn’t seem to have a long-term plan is somewhat concerning when she thinks about her twins’ safety. What if she _does_ have Froslass use Draining Kiss on them to keep them quiet? Wouldn’t that be dangerous for them? Heck, it’s probably risky enough to do it to an _adult_ human, let alone an infant!

Or worse, what if she takes them away from her? Rips them out of her arms and dumps them goodness knows where? She doesn’t think she could survive that, not after everything she’s gone through. Sonia instinctively wraps her arms around her belly, waiting for an answer but it doesn’t seem like she’s going to get one as Oleana’s face as fallen back into an impassive, almost blank expression. She feels a reasonably strong kick against her left arm which is almost reassuring.

An uncomfortable silence follows as Sonia tries hard to think of something to ask or of some way to persuade Oleana to talk. However, before she is able to think of anything, Oleana has surprisingly spoken up, “You were born in the Orre region, were you not?”

The redhead finds herself a bit caught off guard but she nods slowly, “Yes. Agate Village. Why?”

“An interesting region,” the blonde trails off thoughtfully, “One with very interesting locales. I trust as a former citizen of Orre that you are aware of Pyrite Town?”

Sonia frowns – she’s not sure where they’re going with this, “I’ve heard of it. Never been though. My grandparents said it was too dangerous. Again, why?”

“I see,” she says harshly, almost seeming to close herself off again after displaying a moment of weakness, “It is of no importance. It’s certainly not relevant to our current situation.”

“Then why mention it at all?” Marnie asks, her tone of voice cold and suspicious.

No answer.

Sonia sighs, “Please, just… tell us why you’re really doing this.”

“I’m afraid that’s really none of your business.”

“It kinda _is_ , given that you’ve kidnapped us and locked us up fuck knows where,” Marnie snaps, her arms folded loosely across her chest.

“Oleana, I’m not that far off from having twins,” Sonia tries again and she hates that she’s having to come across as so vulnerable to a woman who looks like she really couldn’t care less but it’s all she can think of right now, “And… I understand that you may hate Leon for whatever reason but I just… whatever he may or may not have done, it isn’t _my_ fault. It certainly isn’t his _kids’_ fault. It isn’t Marnie’s fault if Bede’s caused you any sort of pain… why are we _here?_ Are you going to do anything to us? Hurt us?”

The other woman frowns, that same hesitation along with what appears to be annoyance briefly passing across her expression, “No. I may be ‘a nutter’, as the Spikemuth Gym Leader has so eloquently put it, but I’m not a monster. At the very least I won’t harm your unborn children, even knowing who their father is.”

“But you’ll harm their mum by gettin’ your ‘mon to drain the life outta her?” Marnie remarks, “How’d you know you _ain’t_ harmin’ them babies by usin’ Drainin’ Kiss on their mum?”

She pauses before she continues, that flash of annoyance crossing her face briefly again, “I think it’s a safe assumption. I recall a study from Kalos reporting into the use of energy-draining moves on humans. It found that it is mostly harmless, which is sensible to assume in those cases where the Pokémon using these moves may be either clumsy or aggressive towards humankind.”

Sonia scours her memory for any ideas on what this study could be but she comes up with nothing, “Who did that study then? That sounds awfully unethical.”

“Lysandre of Lysandre Labs,” she says without hesitation, glancing down at her food again , “Of course, the man isn’t thought of as highly any more after all of the trouble he wrought in Kalos a few years ago, but the research methods were sound so it’s safe to assume that the results are correct too.”

Sonia remembers reading something about a Lysandre who attempted to commit an act of terrorism on Kalos and she wrinkles her nose in disgust, “Why on earth would you be looking into _his_ research?”

“Because he’s the only one who had the answer to the question regarding the safety of using draining moves on humans. Believe me, I do not idolize the man or even approve of the things he has done, but I was willing to look at his work if it provided me with the information I needed.”

Sonia’s patience is fast running out, “You say you don’t approve of what this Lysandre bloke did, but you approved of Rose’s plans! How were they any different?”

“I didn’t _entirely_ approve of Mr. Rose’s plans,” Oleana rests her hands on her lap, “But he, as I’m sure you are aware, is a very persuasive man. He reassured me that everything he wanted to do was for the good of Galar. I believed him. Why wouldn’t I help him, after everything he had done for me? He could hardly give me a better life and expect nothing in return.”

“What do you mean by that?”

That flash of annoyance again but at least she seems to be opening up, “Mr. Rose has always had a soft spot for… certain children. Not in a sexual manner, by any means. He once told me that he had always wanted to be a father but due to being infertile it wasn’t possible for him to have biological children of his own. He found me when I was a dirty little street urchin – a vile creature prowling the streets constantly in search of food. He took me in.”

There’s a brief pause before Oleana continues, “I didn’t care much for him at first, but he wore me down over time. He gave me a home, ensured I had an education, helped me find new Pokémon to raise, all in return for helping him with his research. But he also made me believe things that may or may not have been true in my hormone-addled teenage mind. Things that I foolishly confessed to him.”

“Like what?”

“ _That_ is none of your business,” she snarls, her robotic behaviour seeming to slip away and revealing the ugly anger and bitterness hiding underneath, “But Mr. Rose turned his back on me after that. He ensured that I stayed to assist with the Eternatus project with the promise of money and various other appealing research projects, and I agreed because like a fool I believed that my little hormone charged expression would eventually have been swept neatly under the carpet and forgotten. It wasn’t, not even when I made the effort to keep my feelings and emotions strictly to myself. Nothing I did inspired any open joy or recognition from him any more. Even me becoming his personal assistant was something he agreed to reluctantly because there was nobody else better for the position.”

She faces Sonia and sneers, “Then your dear little boyfriend arrived. Little ten year old Leon Hayes with his Charizard and that obnoxious attitude, like he thought he was better than everybody else simply because he knew how to battle well. Mr. Rose was easily drawn to him and for the first time in a long time, he was smiling and giving praise and I had no part in it. He once told me that he considered me as being like a daughter to him – something I found incredibly aggravating – yet even then he easily tossed me aside to replace me with his new shiny toy. Especially once he learnt the boy had a mentally abusive father who had abandoned him. Mr. Rose could never turn away from a child with a sob story.”

Sonia gasps sharply. Leon had never told her his father was mentally abusive. Oleana raises an eyebrow at her, “I assume he never told you then? How his father supposedly considered him a failure and never expected anything of him? How he would ‘never be good enough’ in his father’s eyes? How he would apparently always be blamed for every little discrepancy? How the man had left home and never returned because of his son’s enthusiasm for the Gym Challenge?”

Sonia shook her head numbly, “No… he never told me any of that. Just that his dad had left.”

“Foolish things to complain about really, when he still had a family and a roof over his head,” Oleana snaps, “I had none of that, yet Mr. Rose gravitated towards the ungrateful brat and treated him like a son. Leon coaxed smiles out of him that I hadn’t been able to in years with silly, childish catchphrases and boorish battling yet even with all of my breakthroughs on the Eternatus project I was ignored, treated like I was nobody important.”

“Then a few years later, he arrived back at Rose Tower with another brat, who he’d officially fostered. Granted, this one had a more pitiable sob story in that he was an orphan and abused by the other children he was forced to share a space with, all because he kept insisting he was a boy, but it still a sob story nonetheless.”

Before Sonia can even register what she’s been told, Marnie growls, “You _bitch!_ That’s supposed to be private! You can’t just fuckin’ _out_ someone jus’ ‘cause you don’t like ‘em!”

Oleana turns to Marnie, that creepy small smile on her lips again, “I see that Bede has told you then. Surprising, given that it’s something he keeps close to his chest. Easier, I assume, to keep such information to himself so that those who would reject him for it won't be given the opportunity to do harm.”

“I don’t-” Sonia begins but Oleana cuts her off.

“Young Bede was born a girl, dear professor. When Mr. Rose brought him back, he was a sad, pathetic, skinny little brat with a bad self-inflicted haircut. He claimed that the other children hated him and the staff had found him impossible to deal with. But Mr. Rose was somehow won over by this child. He insisted that I arrange appointments for him to get private counselling followed by private support to transition because other doctors would refuse to treat him before puberty. I did all of those things without any gratitude from either of them.”

Oleana pauses, takes a harsh bite out of another nugget and turns to glare at Sonia again, “Bede’s sudden arrival didn’t diminish Mr. Rose’s affection for his other golden boy though. Not one little bit. Perhaps it helped that Leon didn’t tend to have emotional outbursts. Once your dear boyfriend turned sixteen Mr. Rose had me arrange for prostitutes to visit him, presumably in an attempt to ensure that history couldn’t have a chance to repeat itself. Not that it ever could when his internet search history mostly seemed to comprise of battle strategy websites, fan forums and your social media pages. Mr. Rose was adamant he was going to do the same thing for Bede once he had completed the Gym Challenge, but he didn’t stick around that long.”

“‘Cause of _you_ ,” Marnie hisses.

“I merely offered the boy a suggestion. He didn’t have to take it.”

“You _knew_ he would take it. You _knew_ he’d have done anythin’ to make that man happy.”

“The decision was still his ultimately, and he paid for it like he so rightly deserved.”

“I’m sorry but if Rose ignored you and treated you badly in comparison, I don’t see how that’s Leon and Bede’s fault,” Sonia interjects before the conversation ends up getting derailed.

“Oh, it isn’t. Not _entirely_ , anyway. Even I’m not so foolish and petty as to blame them entirely for that,” Oleana responds darkly, “But it doesn’t change the fact that their company was preferred over mine, not only by Mr. Rose but by everybody else too. Everything was handed to them on a platter. When Mr. Rose was sent to prison, Bede became a Gym Leader, still fitting in line with his dreams of becoming a top trainer. Leon, while no longer Champion, became the interim chairman and had enough money to buy Rose Tower and turn it into the Battle Tower monstrosity that it is today. Nobody blamed _them_ for their working relationships with Mr. Rose so they were able to move forward with their lives quite comfortably.” 

“I, on the other hand, was ridiculed and attacked by members of the public when I attempted to go about any business that I knew he had left unfinished. I was threatened with violence and rape on a daily basis. No matter where I went, I wasn’t safe. I telephoned Mr. Rose regarding these issues and his answer was to go and supervise things in the mines ‘to rebuild trust with the people’. No offer of payment for doing this either. I had no safety net of any kind. If not for the money I’d been saving since I was taken in as a child, I would be back where I started. It hardly seems fair that his golden boys have gotten everything they ever wanted while I have received scraps, especially after all of the years Mr. Rose and I had spent living together while I was growing up.”

“But Rose didn’ make Bede Gym Leader. That was Opal,” Marnie argues but Oleana immediately seems to brush her comments aside.

“It would have had to have been approved by the chairman of the league. Opal began training Bede before Mr. Rose was arrested. She had every intention of making the boy her successor. Even in spite of everything that happened with the Stow-on-Side mural, Mr. Rose couldn’t quite let things go completely and he signed the paperwork agreeing to the succession. He said he hoped it would be a potential olive branch in the future so that he could begin to repair their relationship,” the blonde woman begins to shake, her fists clenched in her lap, “He didn’t show _any_ such effort for me. Not for stupid, hormonal Oleana who could have potentially destroyed his career because stupid, hormonal Oleana decided she wanted more than what she should have done.”

Sonia licks her lips tentatively, “It sounds like you’re more angry with Rose than you are with Leon and Bede.”

“Perhaps that’s true,” Oleana remarks, a small, wistful smile slowly appearing on her lips, “Hence my use of the word ‘somewhat’.”

“You don’t just want to hurt Leon and Bede,” Sonia carries on, ignoring the cold chill that seems to be travelling down her back, “You want to get back at Rose.”

“I wouldn’t quite say that. But hurting his golden boys will certainly get his attention.”

“So that’s why we’re here,” Sonia finishes, arms still folded around her belly, “Because by hurting Leon and Bede, you think you’re going to get Rose’s attention.”

“What’s he gonna do? He’s banged up in the nick!” Marnie exclaims impatiently, “What, ya think he’s suddenly gonna go ‘oh, hold on, I had a third important person in my life didn’t I? I prolly should say sorry t’ her an’ give her what she wants’? In any case, ya think he’s gonna be happy to hear what ya’ve been doin’?”

“Shut up, you silly girl. You don’t know anything,” the blonde sneers, “You, who have always had someone to make sacrifices for you and keep you safe from harm and total destitution. Even if you had refused to take on your worthless brother’s shithole of a Gym he still would never reject you or turn you away. You’ve never known what it’s like to have the only person in your world who has ever shown you acceptance suddenly decide they no longer see you as important because you don’t see them the way they see you.”

“No, but Bede _has_ ,” Marnie bites back, “The only difference between you an’ him is that he ain’t whingin’ abou’ how hard done by he is any more. He’s gettin’ on with his own life and movin’ forward ‘cause he don’t wanna waste his life mopin’ about what he thinks should’ve been. An’ if he does wanna vent about it, he’s got the old lady and his Pokémon there t’ listen.”

“And you,” Sonia finishes, finding the girl’s hand and squeezing it while hoping she’s said the right thing, because she’s not entirely sure if Marnie’s referring specifically to Rose.

“An’ me… if he still wants t’ be friends that is. But my point is, Bede ain’t been lettin’ it take up head space ‘cause even for all his problems he’s still better than that. He ain’t ever kidnapped people to make somebody pay attention to him an’ _he’s_ the kid outta you lot.”

Sonia licks her lips slightly, “Leon might not have been in your situation, but I think he probably does know that feeling of abandonment too because of his dad. He never needed to say it, but I always had a feeling that was the case. He might’ve still had his mum and brother but I know he missed his dad when he was a kid, because the man just upped and left like he suddenly didn’t matter.”

_Oh Arceus. Everything makes so much more sense now that I know about this. If his dad was mentally abusive, it’s no wonder he freaked out when he learned about the twins. Oh, Leon… if and when I see you again I’m going to give you the biggest cuddle I can possibly manage and I’m going to tell you all of the reasons why you’re going to be an amazing daddy._

Oleana sniffs while she stands up abruptly, hands shakily clutching her plate, “I will not discuss this any further with you. What’s done is done. I’m not a complete fool, you know. I know that it’ll only be a matter of time before we are found and I will likely have to pay a high price for my actions. Mr. Rose will not want his precious boys suffering for long and he’ll likely tell them of this place and the significance it held for me.”

_So much for it not being anywhere special._

“If that’s the case, then why don’t you just let us _go?”_ Sonia pleads, “If you let us go and then leave Galar you might avoid a prison sentence. You’ll have a chance to start again rather than let him ruin your life.”

“I am not such a coward,” she hisses before following her Salazzle out of the room and then slamming the door hard behind her, leaving both Sonia and Marnie in total darkness once more.

* * *

“Babe!” Raihan calls out loudly with an arm raised in the air, running towards his partner eagerly as the two men enter Route 5, passing a few bewildered young trainers. Leon just about manages to keep up with him – for all of the things that he’s better than Raihan at, he would never be able to beat the man in a foot race. Not with those obnoxiously long legs of his.

Piers’ usually pale cheeks are tinged with pink at the pet name, “Oi, thought we agreed not to ‘babe’ me in front of other people.”

“Sorry, I’m just glad to see you!” the dragon tamer pants as upon reaching Piers he skids to a halt and wraps his arms around him, “It’s been a while. I’ve been worried.”

“I call ya every day ya clingy pillock,” the singer grumbles, awkwardly patting his boyfriend on the shoulder.

“I’d argue that I’m being more affectionate than clingy.”

“Did you find anything?” Leon interrupts impatiently, not really wanting this to devolve into some silly couples’ debate on whether calling someone every day is considered affectionate or clingy. They don’t have time for it.

“Aye, down there,” Piers pulls away from Raihan and points down a hill, “An’ I ain’t the only one who’s here.”

“What do you mean?”

“You’ll see.”

The former Gym Leader leads the other two men down the hill, hands stuffed in his pockets while he starts talking about how much of a pain in the arse it was to find, “Hidden right in the trees. Dunno how anyone was s’posed to find it. You sure that was s’posed to be an old daycare?”

“That’s what Rose said.”

“Rose likes t’ talk a lotta shit.”

“Not this time,” Leon licks his lips while picking up the pace, “I know the man. Worked with him for years so I can tell. He wasn’t lying.”

“To be fair, you never used to pick up on when he was lying to you,” Raihan interjects, causing Leon to shoot him a dark glare, “What? It’s true! How many times did he guilt you out of seeing your mates? Or tried to guilt you out of seeing your family? We didn’t hang out properly for _years_ because he knew what to say to make you do as you were told. What was it he used to say again? Some shit about how rivals shouldn’t be friends because it affects your performance in battle?”

“I was a stupid kid back then,” Leon growls, “I like to think I’ve matured and gotten better at spotting bullcrap like that since then.”

“Took ‘til after the bastard was arrested though, dinnit?” Piers grumbles under his breath, “ _Some_ of us knew he was no good righ’ from the start but no bugger wanted t’ hear it because they only cared about hearin’ how good _they themselves_ were and bollocks to everythin’ else.”

Leon feels a sharp ripple of anger course through him at that, “Fuck off, Piers.”

Raihan frowns at him, “Oi, I get that you’re still on edge because of this whole thing but mind the language towards my other half, would you? _He_ didn’t kidnap Sonia.”

“I don’t need ya to defend me, Rai,” Piers snarls before grinding to a halt and turning to face Leon, his face twisted and angry, “I really could give less of a _fuck_ what ya think about me, _Champ_. I’m callin’ it as I see it. Rose was a fuckin’ nutter an’ no matter what I fuckin’ said ya kept on defendin’ him. Yeah, ya say ya get it now, but that don’t change all the years Spikemuth was left rottin’ thanks t’ that prick. It don’t change the fact that I spent all them years blamin’ myself and wonderin’ if maybe I was the one who was lettin’ everyone down even when he admitted all the shit he wanted to do was gonna drive all the poorer folk outta their homes. So forgive me, _your highness_ , if I don’t exactly trust what that piece o’ shit has t’ say!”

“If you’re so convinced he was lying, then why are you even _here?!”_ Leon snaps back in frustration.

“‘Cause if there’s _any_ chance that Marnie is in there, then o’ course I’m gonna go and have a look! I want my sis back! An’ if that _bitch_ Oleana happens to be there too, I’m gonna sort her _the fuck_ out!”

Raihan looks at him softly, “Babe -”

“An’ I asked ya not to call me that in front of _him,”_ Piers, pink-cheeked again, rounds on Raihan while jerking his thumb back in Leon’s direction, “S’not that I don’t _like_ it, but I still ain’t used to the whole open display of affection thing. I’ve _told_ ya that.”

“Right. Yeah. Sorry.”  
  
“S’fine,” Piers sighs, taking a deep breath to try and calm himself down, “’M sorry too. To both of ya, I guess. Jus’… I really want my sis back. I wanna know she’s okay. Been on fuckin’ edge ever since ya told me that bitch was the one behind it.”

“Yeah… I understand that,” Leon mumbles, running a hand through his hair, “I’ve probably lost my shit more times in one day than I have in several years. And it’s not just Sonia I’m scared shitless for, you know?”

“Yeah… ” Raihan sighs, clapping both men on the shoulder, “I can’t say I blame either of you for losing your rags. But you two tend to forget that those girls are tough as old nails. They’re probably giving Oleana a hell of a miserable time.”

Piers lets out a surprising cackle, “That sounds like Marnie. That girl won’t take shit from anyone.”

“So who else is here?” Leon asks, “You said someone else was here?”

“Aye,” Piers nods, continuing to walk down the hill while Leon and Raihan follow, “Shouldn’ have been surprised to see him to be honest, what with him an’ Marnie apparently gettin’ on so well an’ Oleana havin’ a bone t’ pick with him as well as you.”

“Wait,” Raihan’s head snaps up suddenly, “You mean _Bede_ is here?”

“Yup.”

“How the fuck did you manage that? He didn’t stop for Hop and Gloria.”

“‘Cause he don’t have any sorta shitty history with me?” Piers shrugs, “I dunno. I ran into him outside o’ Turrfield. Apparently he’d been goin’ in an’ out ta those mines for days tryin’ to find that bitch. We had a nice li’l chat,” a sly grin slowly crosses the singer’s face, “an’ then I told him what I knew. Told him if he knew what was good for him he’d hang abou’ and wait for you two at least. He weren’ happy about it but s’far as I know he’s still stakin’ out the place.”

“Well that’s something,” Leon replies darkly, “I _did_ ask Hop and Gloria to keep an eye out for him but apparently he told them to sod off and scarpered.”

“Like I said, he ain’t got any shitty history with me. Jus’ those two.”

“That’s fair enough, I suppose.”

They approach the edge of a thicket of woods near a pond. Leon vaguely recalls being here when he was a child training his Charmeleon, though he never ventured into any of the wooded areas. Sonia would always insist that it was a bad idea, given his track record for getting lost. Heck, if he remembers right this isn’t that far away from where he caught Applin (though he thinks that was on the upper half of the route).

“Jus’ through here,” Piers murmurs, that sly smirk still on his face as he enters the woods without hesitation, “An’ stick close. Don’t want ya gettin’ lost, eh? That wouldn’ be a champion time at all, would it?”

“Piss off,” Leon whispers under his breath. Neither of the other two men hear him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, so I must admit, my perception of Oleana mostly stems from my first impressions of her in battle - like she's spent the whole game appearing professional but then you see her LOSE IT and it's like this whole other person comes out (not gonna lie, initially I thought SHE was gonna be the main villain). It also seems like her life revolves kinda revolves around Rose to a degree, because even on her own in the post-game she's doing something for him. I didn't learn about any other stuff about her in general until post-game and especially by looking at wikis and watching Twilight Wings.
> 
> Also I don't see Oleana as necessarily outright hating trans people but I think that she'd sink to any depths to take a jab against someone she doesn't like. So in that sense, she may as well be transphobic. Either way, I imagine she's gone through a lot and that her experiences have shifted her into a cold, angry person. 
> 
> Again, personal interpretation. I hope this came out okay. This and the next chapter are probably the parts I've been the most nervous about. ^^;
> 
> Thanks again!


	24. Confrontation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Please let someone be out there. Please let us get out of here safe. I want to see Yamper. I need to see my grandparents and my friends. I need to tell Leon that I understand and that he’ll be amazing like he always is at everything else (except directions). I need him to be there to hold my hand when our girls are born.

It doesn’t take as long as Leon thought it might have done to find what they’re looking for, something he feels quite relieved about as he just wants this to be over. He wants Sonia back in his arms, wants to feel the twins kicking against him from inside of her. He needs to know that they’re safe and unharmed.

Bede is waiting for their group behind a large, tangled bush, wearing his old pink coat. He doesn’t appear too happy to see them, but regardless he folds his arms across his chest and nods in their direction, “It took you long enough.”

“Ya can blame these two boneheads for that,” Piers remarks with a smirk, “Too busy chattin’, ya see.”

“I’m pretty sure you contributed to that argument,” Raihan interjects cheekily. Piers starts to swerve around to say something back but upon seeing the taller man’s toothy grin lets out a defeated sigh and doesn’t comment on it.

“So what’s been happening?” Leon asks in an attempt to steer them back to the reason why they’re here.

Bede sniffs haughtily, “Very little. I saw a Tsareena hanging around the building. It went in just before you turned up. Other than that, there’s been nothing else.”

“Is it Oleana’s Tsareena?”

“I can’t be sure without getting closer, but it most likely is. Wild Tsareena don’t usually live in this area from what I recall. You can only find them in the Wild Area.”

Raihan runs a hand over his dreadlocks, “So if that _is_ Oleana’s Tsareena, then it’s safe to assume that she’s here at least.”

“Well that’s somethin’ at least,” Piers growls, “If Marnie ain’t here then I’m still gonna knock each and every one of that bitch’s fuckin’ Pokémon out an’ make her tell me where she is.”

Raihan chuckles nervously, “You’re seriously starting to scare me, love.”

Piers shoots him a glare, “Ain’t _you_ that should be scared. An’ what have I told ya about the pet names?”

“You said not to call you _babe_ , you never said _anything_ about lo-”

Bede turns on them angrily, his pale blue eyes narrowed almost into slits, “I don’t have _time_ for this nonsense. _This_ is why I wanted to do this alone. _I’m_ the one Oleana really wants to get at, so I fail to see why I need such _obnoxious_ backup.”

“An’ _I_ told _you_ that Oleana’s gotta bone t’ pick with the ex-Champ ‘cause she’s got his girlfriend as well. Not only that, but that’s _my li’l sister_ in there. I ain’t havin’ her put in any more danger jus’ ‘cause _you’ve_ got an ego the size o’ Wyndon fuckin’ Stadium. So if ya know what’s good for ya, you’ll shut the fuck up and do as we say,” Piers gives Bede such a glare that even the younger lad ends up relenting, though Leon does hear the boy mumbling under his breath about how it’s insulting that he has to listen to two trainers with Pokémon his team has a type advantage over. He briefly wonders if he has the same attitude towards Marnie who mostly uses Dark types like her brother.

“So what’s the plan?” Raihan asks with a sigh, moving forward to gently rub Piers’ shoulders in an attempt to ease his anger.

“If they’re in there we go in and get them out,” Leon says simply before Piers can answer the question himself. The singer doesn’t seem to mind all that much though, as he nods in response.

“Yeah, that ‘bout sums it up. If Oleana gets in the way, we bring her ‘mons down. No mercy.”

“What about Gloria and Hop?” Raihan asks thoughtfully, “Shouldn’t they be here for this? I’m sure they’ll want to help us.”

“I’d much rather they didn’t,” Leon replies immediately, “It’s… I know how strong they are. It’s just that I can’t help but worry that Oleana might try and pull something to hurt me. She knows Hop’s another person that’s important to me. Gloria too, to a lesser degree. I wouldn’t put it past her to try and find a way to use that. She’s still smart, even if she might have gone off the deep end.”

“I certainly don’t want them here either,” Bede snaps coldly, “They would only get in the way.”

Piers, to everyone’s surprise, turns and grins at the lad creepily, “Are ya _sure_ that’s the real reason ya don’t want ‘em here?”

“Yes,” Bede replies, gritting his teeth furiously, “I’m not quite sure what you’re getting at, _Piers_.”

“I think ya do,” the singer fixes the Ballonlea Gym Leader with a hard stare, “I think ya don’t want ‘em to hurt your pride any more than they already have done. ‘Cause seein’ ‘em both after all the shit that went down between you three means ya migh’ have to face up to the fact that ya actually _care_.”

The boy’s face pales, “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I was there when you an’ my sis were talkin’ on the phone ‘bout it. Didn’t hear the whole conversation but was able t’ get a good idea on what you two were talkin’ about. An’ while I can appreciate it prolly caused ya some pain, if those two can help make our odds better to save my sis then I’ll take it, your teenage drama be damned.”

“I’m not-”

“We don’t have time for this,” Leon interrupts with a sharp growl, “Look, I’d rather keep Gloria out of it unless it’s absolutely necessary. Bring in any of the other Gym Leaders if you want to, but I absolutely want my brother left out of it.”

“You know if we tell Gloria she’ll tell Hop. Or he’ll find out because those two are always together at the moment. I mean, come on mate, Hop’s almost as good as you are these days. What’s the problem?” Raihan asks, regarding Leon with a raised eyebrow.

“Oleana’s already got three people I care about, she’s not having anyone else.”

“Don’t you think that should be _his_ decision, not yours?”

“Urgh, we’re gettin’ _nowhere_ with this shit,” Piers grumbles, “Rai, text all the other leaders an’ Gloria if ya have to, jus’ in case things go tits up. But I’m goin’ in, right now. Don’t even bother tryin’ to stop me ‘cause I swear, the mood I’m in? I migh’ just tear ya to shreds as well as her.”

Leon, while not feeling anything close to comfortable at the prospect of his brother being involved after all (because Gloria absolutely _will_ tell him about this), nods at the notion of going in now in determination, “I’ll be right behind you. I’m done waiting.”

“As will I,” Bede says grumpily, puffing his chest up, “Just don’t get in my way.”

“So long as ya don’t get in mine.”

As Leon begins to follow Piers closer to the small house, he feels his heart begin to race. _I’m coming, Sonia. For you and our girls. Hold on just a little bit longer._

* * *

The first thing Sonia and Marnie hear is a loud crash from what sounds like outside of the house. Even though she cannot see anything, she feels Marnie tense up beside her. The two were sitting relatively close to each other so that they could at least get an idea of where the other is present, and with everything going on, Marnie seems determined to stay close in case Oleana goes back on her pledge not to hurt Sonia’s unborn children. As awkward as it is, it also warms Sonia’s heart that this feisty girl who she doesn’t know as well as she should is willing to put herself on the line to protect her babies if it becomes necessary.

“What ya think that’s about?” Marnie asks curiously, as if what they’ve just heard is something a lot tamer than what it sounded.

“I don’t know,” Sonia replies, licking her lips in an attempt to moisten them, “Maybe she’s training her Pokémon. She said it herself – she knows it’s only a matter of time, and if she’s not going to let us go she might be trying to prepare.”

“Doubt it. I’ve been here over a week an’ I ain’t heard nothin’ like that.”

“Then maybe…” she licks her lips again, “Maybe someone else is out there.”

“I fuckin’ hope so,” Marnie whispers, her hand squeezing Sonia’s tightly. Whether it’s intentional or not, the redhead can’t be sure. Maybe Marnie’s just as frightened as she is underneath her tough exterior. She’s barely older than Gloria and Hop, after all. Still technically a child. She doesn’t hesitate to squeeze back, hoping it will offer some reassurance, “D’ya think we should make some noise? Try an’ get their attention?”

“I think it can’t hurt, if there is someone out there,” another lick of her lips, though this time she’s sure it’s because of her anxiety, “Give it a moment though, just to make sure.”

_Please let someone be out there. Please let us get out of here safe. I want to see Yamper. I need to see my grandparents and my friends. I need to tell Leon that I understand and that he’ll be amazing like he always is at everything else (except directions). I need him to be there to hold my hand when our girls are born._

The two of them sit in silence. The only things Sonia can hear are the sounds of their breathing and the thrumming of her heart in her chest. She feels what she can only assume are kicks from her belly against both of her arms – a sign that both of her daughters are active, which she’s relieved about especially given her lack of energy and nutritious food for the past couple of days. At least the Draining Kiss has only affected her and not them. Or at least she hopes that’s the case.

Then they hear shouting. One of the voices is definitely Oleana but the other one sounds like…

“BEDE!” Marnie screams suddenly, catching Sonia off guard, “BEDE, WE’RE IN HERE!”

More shouting. More voices. Sonia can hear them a little more clearly now. There’s not just Bede. She hears Piers and Raihan and…

“LEON! WE’RE IN THE CELLAR!”

“BRO!” Marnie shouts again with all of the energy the drained girl could muster, “GET US OUTTA HERE, WILL YA?!”

The cellar door at that moment shakes with the sound of someone bashing against it, and Sonia unintentionally squeezes Marnie’s hand again while edging closer to the young girl. Her heart is pounding fiercely now and she almost thinks she’s going to pass out due to how fast she’s breathing. Finally, with a loud smash, the door bursts open and she’s forced to squeeze her eyes shut as light shines into the room, causing an unpleasant sharp pain to shoot through her head. She forces herself to open them slightly after a second though, and she just makes out the blurred outline of Raihan, hurrying into the room and leaning in front of them.

“Hey there, you two,” he says cheekily, “Sorry we took our time. Are you both alright?”

“What do _you_ think?” Marnie grumbles, rubbing her head. Evidently she seems to be dealing with the same head pains as Sonia is, “Where’s my bro?”

“He’s on his way down here,” he looks a bit nervous, “He’s just… _preoccupied_ , at the moment.”

“And Leon? Where’s Leon?” Sonia blurts out, clutching her belly still. Her babies aren’t kicking now, perhaps as a result of all the excitement.  
  
“He’s with Bede dealing with Oleana. He asked me to get you out.”

_No, no. I want him here. I need him here. Please…_

Raihan seems to read the expression of fear on her face, “No need to worry about him, Miss Clever Clogs. Oleana won’t stand a chance against one of the toughest trainers Galar has to offer. Especially not with how… ah… _determined_ he is.”

“Marnie!” a loud cry comes from the top of the stairs and before Sonia can even blink Piers has forced his way past Raihan and thrown his arms around his sister, holding her so tightly against him that it’s a wonder the girl can even breathe. For appearing so frail, Piers looks like he has one hell of a strong grip.

“Took ya long enough,” Marnie replies before reciprocating, her eyes seeming to fill with tears, “’M sorry, bro. ‘M so sorry for all the shit I said t’ ya, I didn’ mean any of it, I swear…”

“S’fine, I don’t care ‘bout that righ’ now. All I care ‘bout is gettin’ you outta here an’ somewhere safe.”

“You’re done with Oleana?” Raihan raises an eyebrow at him in surprise, _“Really?”_

“For now. Figured those two oughta have a crack at takin’ her down, what with them bein’ the ones she’s been tryin’ to get at an’ all. S’more personal for ‘em than it is for me. An’… an’ my sis is way more important than that fuckin’ woman.”

“How very mature of you.”

“Sod off.”

“I could never do that, sweetheart, I love you too much.”

Piers’ cheeks turn a faint shade of pink, “For fuck’s sake Rai, not in front of my _sister!”_

“Sonia,” Marnie pipes up, her face paler than usual as she glances at her with fear, “Your trousers… th-they’ve got blood on ‘em…”

“What?”

“’M sorry, I only jus’ noticed…”

Sonia glances down between her legs, her breathing elevating even more and she feels her heart drop at the sight of fresh blood on her trousers right where her privates are. Her fingers automatically travel down, skirting the stain and as she pulls away the blood seems to stain on her finger tips. _No. No, no, no. Not my girls. Please not my girls. It’s far too early._

“Rai, get ‘er outta here!” Piers snaps suddenly upon noticing the stain himself, drooping his arm under Marnie’s in an attempt to help her get up, “That ain’t a good thing! She needs to get t’ a hospital righ’ away!”

“Right!” Raihan nods, suddenly jerking into action as he similarly tries to help Sonia get to her feet. He just about manages on account of how tall and strong he is, and in any other situation she’d be marvelling that anyone could drag her weight along like this but right now she can’t think of anything but the twins. Sonia’s bloodied hand ends up grabbing at her belly, willing her babies to move, to give her some sign that they’re still alive and okay in there. They’d both kicked such a tiny amount of time ago, they couldn’t be in danger _that_ quickly could they? Is she in labour? If she is, then why isn’t there any pain? Why haven’t her waters broken? Why is there blood? Didn’t the midwife say that bleeding down there is a bad thing when pregnant, especially when it’s _this_ much?

“Don’t panic,” Raihan whispers to her, “We’re going to have to take a bit of a risk and fly to Motostoke on Flygon, is that okay?”

Sonia nods quickly, her mind still in a state of panic as they exit the building. There’s still no sign of Leon or Oleana, “That’s fine. Just… I need to help them… oh Arceus, Leon I’m _sorry_ … ”

“Don’t you _dare_ apologize, this isn’t your fault! Piers’ll let Leon know what’s happening. Try taking deep breaths, okay? You might faint otherwise and I don’t know if I’ll be able to fly with you unconscious.”

Sonia nods again, unable to fight the tears that are streaming down her face but doing everything she can to try and calm herself. _Breathe in, count to ten, then breathe out._ “Alright. Just… I can’t lose any of them Raihan, _please_ …”

“You won’t lose _anyone_ ,” Raihan growls as he tosses Flygon’s Poké Ball into the air, “I promise.”

* * *

The moment Leon sees Oleana something inside of him snaps. It’s almost as if the state of panic for Sonia and the twins has outweighed anything else he could have been feeling up until this point, and that includes the sheer anger he feels towards this woman for her actions. But once he sees her, sees how much she looks like she utterly cares less about what she’s done, he feels that rage overtake him, pushing the fear aside because Raihan’s running ahead towards the screams they hear coming from the cellar (which were prompted by Bede’s prior yell at Oleana), shouting to him that he’ll get Sonia out and not to worry.

Bede seems to be in a similar mindset, though his emotion seems to be coming from a place of bitterness and resentment rather than the pure bone-shaking fury that seems to be currently possessing Leon. He doesn’t think he’s ever felt this angry before – not even when Rose awoke Eternatus, not even when his dad said he would prevent him from going on the Gym Challenge - it's almost frightening for him despite how cathartic it feels. Piers seems to be in the same boat though, as the singer is quivering in anger but after a glance in the direction of his two companions, Piers lets out a sigh followed by a sharp shout in Oleana’s direction about how he’s a patient man before he storms off after Raihan.

“Oleana,” Bede says coldly, his voice slightly hoarse and there’s an undertone of something… something like upset, like his voice is trying not to crack, “It’s over. Don’t even waste your time battling me.”

“Bede,” she regards him thoughtfully, twisting a Poké Ball in her hand, “I think you’ll find I have no intention of coming quietly.”

“Good,” the fairy gym leader says, his lips twisting upwards into a sneer, pulling a Poké Ball of his own from off of his waist and tossing it into the air, revealing his Sylveon, “Because I’m going to make you _pay_ for _everything_ you’ve ever done to try and tear me down.”

“Still as arrogant as ever,” Oleana remarks with a scowl, “Come, my old friend.”

She tosses her own Poké Ball into the air, revealing Garbodor in all her intimidating glory, which causes Bede to wince a bit before his expression returns to that of determined scorn. Leon has always thought Garbodor is an odd fit for Oleana, given that every other Pokémon she has is more aesthetically pleasing, but against a fairy type, it’s the perfect choice (he’s surprised Bede’s forgotten about the type advantage – Mawile would have been a better choice). He reaches for his own waist, finding Charizard’s Poké Ball because he too feels an overwhelming desire for her to hurt for hurting his family, “Don’t forget about me,” he snarls, and if he weren’t so lost in the anger pulsing through him he’d probably be shocked by how he sounds almost feral as he tosses Charizard’s Poké Ball out, “Charizard, take ‘em down!”

Bede glowers at him but reluctantly nods, turning back to face his opponent, “Sylveon, Light Screen!”

Okay, Leon has to admit that’s probably a clever move. But it doesn’t matter. He fully intends on bringing Oleana down, with or without Bede’s help, “Charizard, Fire Blast!”

“Two against one is hardly fair,” Oleana hisses, tossing another one of her Pokémon out which reveals itself as her Milotic while Garbodor somehow manages to dodge the fire-based attack, “ _Disgraceful_ behaviour from official Galar league representatives. What would Mr. Rose think?”

“I could care less what that man thinks,” Bede snaps, “He is dead to me.”

“A pity he could not say the same about either of you,” she spits in reply, “But then again he has always been soft when it comes to the two of you!”

Leon can’t speak to her, doesn’t _want_ to speak to her, especially not about Rose. The only words he finds that are able to leave his throat are commands for his Pokémon, “Charizard, Solar Beam!”

The orange dragon pauses for a moment to take in light. Leon mentally curses that he didn’t think of giving him a Power Herb beforehand. It’s not like Oleana has any Rock types to use against him but that Milotic could cause trouble.

“Milotic, Aqua Ring,” Oleana snarls, “Garbodor, Toxic Spikes.”

_She’s setting up, but that won’t stop me from taking her down. I don’t care if this is all because she’s insane or because Rose has put her through hell, she still took Sonia, she still locked her in a fucking cellar in an old building and didn't care about the damage she could have done._

“Sylveon, Psyshock on Garbodor!” The little pink Pokémon charges forward at her trainer’s request, summoning an aggressive attack which looks like it hits Garbodor for more damage than Oleana seems to expect. Bede smirks, “You thought that perhaps because I have the type disadvantage that I didn’t plan ahead for poison types?”

“You little _shit,_ ” Oleana blusters, “Don’t think that means you’ve won! Garbodor, use Gunk Shot on Sylveon! Milotic, Surf!”

“Dodge!” Leon barks and Charizard takes to the air while still charging his Solar Beam, barely managing to avoid the waves as they crash into his feet. Sylveon, however, isn’t so lucky as the combination of a perfectly aimed Gunk Shot and a fully powered Surf crashes into her and sends her sprawling onto the floor. Despite her best efforts, the little fairy type is unable to get back up again, leading to Bede letting out a swear while he calls her back, fishing through his Poké Balls for another option.

“Mawile, go!” Bede calls, sending out the Deceiver Pokémon, “And use Crunch on Garbodor!”

The small steel fairy type charges forward, twisting around to expose the sharply toothed ponytail on the back of her head which clamps around Garbodor’s baggy front, much to the poison type’s disgruntlement, while Charizard’s Solar Beam finally finishes charging and fires straight towards Milotic. Leon and Charizard are completely in tune with each other as always as he doesn’t even need to tell his battle partner the target they’re aiming for. Milotic shrieks as the grass type move slams into her, while Oleana screams for her to use Recover, her eyes wild and her expression almost deranged. It’s too late however, as even though Charizard isn’t a grass type the Solar Beam has still done enough damage that the water type collapses and doesn’t get back up again.

_One down, four to go._

“Gardevoir!” she cries, throwing another Poké Ball into the air and watching as it materializes.

_Okay, didn’t know she had that. Five to go then._

“Thunderbolt!” she commands, causing Leon to clench his fists at his side while he calls out in return, “Dodge!”

He watches as the Thunderbolt narrowly skims Charizard’s wings, biting his bottom lip between his teeth so tightly that it hurts. _That was too close._ She’d obviously planned ahead for him. He doesn’t feel the exhilaration he normally feels when he’s in battle and a super effective move is aimed at one of his Pokémon. If anything this time around he feels agitated and furious because she’s caused enough harm as it is, so how dare she try and cause more of it? How dare she not take responsibility for what she’s done?!

Unluckily for her, Charizard doesn’t fall to type advantages so easily. Nor to any Pokémon for that matter.

“Iron Head on Gardevoir!” Bede calls and Leon notices the boy looking over at him, nodding again at him though still with that scowl on his face. He’s helping to cover for him, which means he probably should return the favour – he knows that Garbodor is fierce and while it probably doesn’t have anything that can hurt Bede’s Mawile he probably still should-

“Mystical Fire on Mawile!” Oleana calls and Leon rethinks his strategy, “Charizard, go for Gardevoir as well! Fire Blast!”

Gardevoir doesn’t last long on the battlefield. The combined force of a fierce Iron Head and a fully charged Fire Blast sends the Pokémon flying into a tree. She tries to get to its feet with shaky arms, but eventually collapses, falling unconscious while Oleana grabs her hair and shrieks angrily. The only thing Leon can think of is that Gardevoir is a new addition to the team and not as well trained as the rest of Oleana’s _Pokémon_.

“Mawile, come back!” Bede calls, and Leon notices that the steel fairy doesn’t look so good as it disappears in a flash of light – Mystical Fire had clearly done a lot of damage to her. Bede readies another Poké Ball, “Gardevoir, show her how it’s done! Psychic!”

Oleana forcefully throws out another Poké Ball of her own, “Salazzle! Poison Gas! Garbodor, Rock Blast on Charizard!”

“Shit,” Leon hisses, “Dodge that!”

Charizard isn’t quick enough. The rocks smash into the fire dragon’s left wing forcefully, causing him to spiral into the ground, towards the gaseous purple air exuding from Salazzle. Oleana’s lips curve upwards into an almost insane looking grin.

“Charizard, you can still fight, I know you can!” he cries and the fire type lets out a tired growl in reply, before placing his arms on the ground and forcing himself back on to his feet. He stretches out his wings and winces immediately, his left wing instantly curling back in on itself. He also looks a bit ill and his breathing becomes heavier and more laboured, a clear sign that the Poison Gas might have been successful. It looks like flying is going to be out of the equation unfortunately. _That’s fine. We can still do_ _this. Rock type moves be damned._

Fortunately he doesn’t need to worry about Rock type moves any more as Gardevoir’s Psychic collides with Garbodor forcefully, sending the rubbish bag Pokémon stumbling backwards into another tree, the weight seeming to give way underneath her legs. Leon’s not entirely sure she’s out for the count, but that’s not important right now. He needs to finish this before Charizard falls victim to the poison. He shifts his hand across his belt in hopes of finding a Full Restore. He usually doesn’t make it a habit of using such things – he’s never really needed to before – but now he needs to put all that personal pride aside. Thank goodness Charizard was holding a Charti Berry or else the damage could have been so much worse, “Shit. No Full Restores…”

“Psychic again!” Bede commands, pointing towards Salazzle. Gardevoir lets out a tiny gasp of air but slowly summons all her energy again.  
  
“Get up Garbodor!” Oleana hisses angrily, “Salazzle, Venoshock!”

Salazzle seems confused, unsure on which opponent to aim her attack at but ultimately aims towards Gardevoir, possibly deciding to opt for the type advantage instead of bringing down the biggest hitter on the field. The poisonous attack launches through the air at the same time as Gardevoir’s Psychic, and both attacks successfully hit their desired targets. Gardevoir lets out a quiet trill but barely manages to stay on her feet. Salazzle wobbles, but shakes her head furiously before fitting Gardevoir and Bede with a determined gaze.

“Charizard, Ancient Power!” Leon calls, fixing his gaze onto Salazzle. Bede glances over at him before turning back to his Gardevoir, “I think one more Psychic should finish it, Gardevoir.”

“Salazzle, Dragon Pulse now! Garbodor, GET UP!”

With a loud grumble, Garbodor slowly but surely gets back onto her feet. She looks battered and almost defeated but she turns back to Oleana with a strange look on her face, like she understands why her trainer wants this which only serves to infuriate Leon further because he doesn’t understand why anyone would go to such extremes as this over one man who has proven that he blatantly isn’t worth the hassle. Salazzle fires off the dragon pulse, which mercifully misses Charizard without Leon even needing to command him to dodge. Bede raises an eyebrow at her while Charizard fires off an Ancient Power, sending the rocks smashing into Salazzle effortlessly. The skinny Pokémon falls on its back and, thankfully, doesn’t get up again.

“Why do you insist on torturing me?” Oleana snarls, calling for her Tsareena, who was a short distance away, to enter the battle.

“You’re doing that to yourself,” Bede growls back, “Gardevoir, use Psychic on Garbodor!”

“Tsareena, Trop Kick! Garbodor, another Gunk Shot!”

Garbodor just narrowly dodges the Psychic attack though she stumbles in the process. Gunk Shot, however, hits Gardevoir squarely in the chest, causing the psychic fairy to collapse with a sharp, pained breath before she falls silent. Bede recalls her with another swear, sending out his Hatterene next. Tsareena, however, doesn’t stand a chance against Charizard. As soon as she even remotely gets close, Charizard releases a Fire Blast right into the grass type’s face, causing it to collapse almost immediately. Bede lets out a snort of derision at the sight of it.

“You two could never do any wrong!” she snaps, tears beginning to form in her eyes as she readies her final Poké Ball and unleashes her Froslass, which looks emotionally drained and sad, “ _Why?!_ What did _you_ have that I didn’t?! Froslass, use Hex! Garbodor, Rock Blast!”

“Charizard, dodge!” Leon calls but despite the Pokémon’s best efforts he isn’t fast enough, the onslaught of rocks clashing into the fire dragon’s chest and causing him to flop backwards. Leon bites his lip again and tastes blood, “Come on, mate… you can do this…”

Hex crashes into Hatterene who lets out a pained trill but otherwise manages to stay upright. Bede narrows his eyes at Oleana fiercely, “Psychic on Garbodor!”

This attack hits effortlessly and with a loud cry, Garbodor finally, _finally_ collapses again and lets out one last exhale of air, clearly having no energy left in her to fight. Oleana lets out a loud cry of despair at the sight but it doesn’t deter Leon. He won’t let her distract him when he’s so close. _Just the Froslass to go. Come on, Charizard. You can do this. You’ve still got enough energy to fight. I know you have. Don't let the poison beat you._

Charizard seems to sense his determination as he slowly rolls onto his front and shakily uses his arms to push his weight off of the floor. Leon lets out a pained sigh, “Okay, Charizard! Fire Blast that Froslass into ashes!”

With one shaky breath, his beloved Pokémon draws his head back to gather the flames before throwing himself forward, unleashing burning hot fire which clashes against Froslass effortlessly. Froslass, to his surprise, doesn’t even attempt to fight back or dodge, instead closing her eyes and absorbing the flames into her icy body before allowing herself to fall backwards into unconsciousness.

Oleana collapses on her knees, entirely defeated. Yet the anger in Leon’s chest isn’t assuaged. He’s still trembling as he glances over at Charizard who loses consciousness, his injuries and the poison finally taking their toll on him. He needs to know _why_ she did this, needs to know _what_ possessed her to want to hurt him so badly to the point where she destroyed his pregnant girlfriend’s lab, probably some of her work too, and then kidnapped her. He wants to see Sonia, that desire is still burning in his chest as well, but he knows that she’s with Raihan and that she’s safe, so he can prioritize this right now.

Bede’s the one who makes the first move however as he calmly recalls Hatterene and walks over to her, his expression blank. He leans down next to her and, to Leon’s surprise, puts a hand on her shoulder, pushing her back just enough so that he can look fiercely into her eyes, “Enough of this. How _dare_ you assume the former chairman only ever rebuffed you? Have you forgotten Stow-on-Side already?”

Oleana’s hands clench into the grass while tears begin to stream down her cheeks, “He _forgave_ you for that, you stupid child. He allowed Opal to make you her successor in hopes that one day _he_ would be forgiven by you. That was entirely _his_ decision.”

“I know that,” Bede clicks his tongue, “And I don’t care. I _cannot_ forgive him for what he has done and I will _never_ give him the chance to use me like he did _ever_ again. You are a fool if you cannot see that he did not need to keep a facade with you as he did with us.”

“You’re a fool if you believe that was a facade,” Oleana spits into the boy’s face, causing him to tense in disgust as he wipes the saliva off of his cheek, “He loved you dearly, no matter how much you deserved none of it. I saw firsthand how much it destroyed him to disown you. He never felt such emotion for me.”

“How do you _know_ that, Oleana? Have you ever directly _asked_ him?” Leon interrupts with a snarl, trying to stop himself from letting the anger he feels with her take over because if he does he might well end up doing something he regrets and he doesn’t want to go that far, “Or did you just assume? Because the man _I_ spoke with in prison seems to feel a lot of regret about the way things turned out between the two of you.”

“H-he did?” the blonde looks up at him, wide-eyed and surprised.

Leon nods, his fists still clenched at his sides, “Yes, he _did_.”

“Quite frankly, I don’t care if he loved me or not,” Bede continues coldly, “The people who truly love you for who you are won’t expect something in return from you, nor will they set conditions for their affection. Not like _he_ did. If Rose’s actions are indicative of his idea of love, then I don’t want it.”

“After all he did for you…” Oleana hisses, furiously wiping the tears from her cheeks, “You _ungrateful little-_ ”

“He helped me transition when it otherwise may not have been possible, and I’ll always be grateful to him for that as well as introducing me to Pokémon,” Bede continues, his tone still hard and emotionless, “But that _doesn’t_ mean I have to tolerate the bad things he’s done, or forgive the pain he’s caused me. He may have helped in the journey to make me into who I truly am, but at the end of the day, _I’m_ the one who defines myself.”

The boy leans closer to her, grabbing her coat and gazing right into her wet eyes again with an impassive stare, “The police are on their way. I wouldn’t bother running. And if _anyone_ ever hurts my friend again, I don’t care _who_ they are, I swear to you that I will ensure they regret it.”

Bede releases her, gets to his feet and walks away with his head held high. Leon tenses, wanting to take a step towards Oleana himself (who is now looking at him with tearful eyes filled with anger, hatred, bitterness and regret while shaking erratically, mumbling to herself about what a stupid woman she is in the third person), to say something himself about how angry he is about her putting his family at risk and how he doesn’t think he’ll ever be able to forgive her for this even if he can somewhat understand the pain she must have been through in her life but before he can he hears a loud shout in the distance.

“Lee!”

“… Hop?”

“Thank goodness we found you!” Hop cries as he appears quickly from behind some trees, flinging himself at his brother before pushing backwards and punching him hard in the arm, “Why didn’t you tell us you’d found them earlier? We wanted to help!”

“I’m sorry, little bro, I just… we just wanted to get in there as quickly as possible,” it’s not the whole truth, but it’s not a lie either. It’ll do for now.

“Look, I ran into Piers on the way over,” Hop says quickly, brushing off the answer as if it doesn’t really matter all that much now anyway, “He said Raihan’s had to rush Sonia over to Motostoke Hospital. It’s… it’s not good.”

_“What?”_

“He said he was going to tell you himself but he couldn’t find you on the way out and Marnie’s not in good shape either so-”

Leon glances quickly over at Charizard, who is still passed out on the ground, “Well then I need to get there now! Do you have a Revive or something?”

Hop stuffs a Max Revive into his hand quickly, glaring down at Oleana which seems to make her recoil, “This is all I have on me along those lines. Me and Gloria will stay here until the police arrive. You should get over there now and make sure Sonia’s okay. We can handle Oleana.”

Leon would otherwise have objected to this, but given that Gloria’s just ran into sight and Oleana’s out of usable Pokémon, she’s no longer much of a threat. So he gently presses the Max Revive into Charizard’s chest, causing the Pokémon’s eyes to flutter open before he pushes himself to his feet, everything looking top notch again. The cuts and grazes dealt to his wings have all but vanished, healing themselves into small, barely visible scratches. Taking a deep breath, he nods at Charizard in questioning, only for the fire dragon to nod back with a fanged smile, “Thank Arceus… I need to get to Motostoke Hospital, mate, as quickly as possible. After that you can have a nice, long rest at the Pokémon Centre, I promise.”

As he clambers aboard Charizard’s back he fixes the still self-deprecating Oleana with one last blazing stare, “Count yourself lucky. You’ve no idea how much I want you to hurt right now for what you’ve done to my family. But I won’t let myself turn into a monster,” he pauses, trying to ignore his heart fiercely pounding in his chest, “Bede’s right, you know. He and I won’t let ourselves be defined by what Rose tried to make us into, because our lives never completely revolved around him. Maybe _that_ was Rose’s problem with you.”

With that, he takes off, leaving Oleana (and everything Rose put him through) far behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, that was something. I'm not particularly good with writing action scenes, I don't think, but I hope it at least came out okay.  
> While I do feel bad for Oleana and I do think she definitely needs some kind of help, I can also understand everyone's anger with her as well. She kidnapped their loved ones. I'd say they have a right to be angry with her. Sometimes that anger becomes irrational. I don't know. If somebody did that to someone I loved I don't think I'd be able to be entirely rational. So... I don't know. I can see both sides.  
> I'm just muddling along, don't pay me any mind. ^^;


	25. Aftermath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He pulls away again, staring straight into her eyes, “Part of me thought I might never see you again.”
> 
> That seems to trigger the tears to begin to slide out of Sonia’s eyes and down her cheeks, “Me too.”

“It’s just an infection?” Sonia asks breathlessly as the doctor removes her fingers from inside of her, watching her cautiously as she pulls her glove off, “So the twins are okay?”

“It seems so. As you saw for yourself, the scan picked up on both of your babies’ heartbeats and there were no signs of distress,” the short-haired woman says with a smile, “We ruled out all of the other possibilities. The placentas are both still firmly attached to the cervical wall and your mucus plug is still in place as well. The scan picked up no other anomalies either.”

Sonia lets her head collapse against the hospital pillow, letting out a huge sigh of relief, “What… what could have caused it, do you think?”

“It’s hard to say for certain, but given that you’ve said that you’ve had energy draining moves used on you, it may well have weakened your immune system enough to allow an infection to develop,” the doctor picks up the form hanging off of the end of her bed which she knows has all of her details on it and starts scribbling some information down, “However because vaginal bleeding this late in pregnancy can also sometimes be a sign of a placental abruption or a forced abortion, and because we’re not entirely sure of any other side effects the use of energy draining moves could potentially have on you, we’d like to keep you in for observation.”

“How long for?”  
  
“At least until the bleeding stops and we can ascertain that there are no other lasting side effects following your ordeal. In the meantime, I’m going to prescribe you some antibiotics to tackle that infection.”

Sonia chews her lip uncomfortably, “Thank you.”

“That’s perfectly alright,” the woman smiles at her gently, “Your very tall and handsome friend is still waiting outside. Did you want me to send him in or ask him to leave?”

“Send him in please… I don’t want to be alone right now,” Sonia decides instantly – more than that she needs the reassurance that Leon’s going to be alright now that she’s sure the twins are okay. The lady nods warmly before walking away. Sonia wonders if perhaps she should have mentioned to her that Raihan’s gay, but then again it’s not like the information isn’t widely available given his celebrity status.

When he emerges he looks almost flustered, but seems to be trying to hide it with a lazy and confident toothy grin, “Well, what’s the verdict, Clever Clogs?”

“An infection,” she tells him with a small smile, “The twins are fine but they want to keep me in to keep an eye on things.”

“Thank fuck for that,” Raihan exhales, running a hand over his dreadlocks, “So how are you feeling aside from-” he gestures awkwardly at her, mimicking a curved belly and she lets out a weak snort.

“Like shit,” she admits, “Relieved to be out of that situation but… I’m still really tired. Do you… do you know how Marnie is?”

“Yeah, I called Piers while you were being looked at,” he rubs his neck now, “Marnie’s tired but otherwise okay. He’s trying to talk her into getting checked out but… well, she hates hospitals apparently. So he’s not having much luck. They’re camping at Milo’s right now. Once Leon or your gran gets here I’m going to head over and check on them, if that’s alright?”

Her smile widens weakly and she nods. She can’t blame Raihan for wanting to get back to his boyfriend, especially given that this whole ordeal has likely taken a toll on the singer’s mental well-being as well as his sister’s. _I’m just glad she’s alright._

Raihan leans forward, taking her hand in his and Sonia notices that he feels uncomfortably warm, “I’m sorry it took us so long to get to you both. It never occurred to me that Oleana could have done something like this and I… I can’t believe she got her Pokémon to-”

His fist is tight and tense around hers and she winces, which he quickly notices and yanks his hand away, “Sorry. Just… I can’t believe someone could do something like that to a pregnant woman and a kid. It’s _sickening_.”

She bites her lip again, “Has Leon been in contact?”

Raihan shakes his head, “No. I probably should apologize for that as well. I shouldn’t have left him to deal with Oleana. He was properly losing his shit over you being missing. Had to nag him to get him to eat or sleep. But… I don’t think I’ve ever seen him so angry before in my life as when he saw her back there. I mean, he’s sensible and good at his core so I don’t think he’ll do anything stupid but-”

“It’s just the thought that he _could_ , isn’t it?” Sonia licks her lips tentatively, trying to hold back the tears, “This whole thing’s a mess.”

“He’ll be fine,” Raihan takes her hand again and squeezes it gently this time, “Oleana won’t stand a chance against him in battle and he’s too much of a good person to even consider doing anything bad, especially to a woman.”

She nods again. _Of course. I’m being silly. Leon would never outright intentionally hurt Oleana or anybody. That’s not him. It never has been._

Even still, she can’t help but remember what Oleana told her about Leon’s dad. She can’t believe she’s known him ever since they were both children and not once has she ever cottoned on that the man might have been abusive or negligent. She had a feeling that his father wasn’t a particularly great role model but to _that_ degree? Why did he never tell her?

She rolls to face where Raihan’s sitting, “Raihan, you’re Leon’s best friend, right? Aside from me, that is.”

He nods, his eyebrows furrowing slightly, “Yeah. He’s been my best mate since we were kids. Why?”

“Did he ever talk about his dad at all to you? Or anything personal like that?”

Raihan leans back thoughtfully, rubbing his chin, “No, I don’t think he has. Not really, anyway. He never talked about his family much to me personally, bar from Hop. And you, of course. Wouldn’t shut the fuck up about you. How he didn’t cotton on that he fancied you earlier, I’ll never know. _I_ knew before he did. Anyway, I’m getting off topic… why’d you ask?”

“I…” she’s not sure if she should but she’s already started so she can’t exactly just _not_ express how she’s feeling, “Oleana said something. While we were locked up. I didn’t know anything about it. I had a feeling there might have been _something_ because he always behaved so… I don’t know, stiffly, whenever I mentioned it before? Like I’d touched on a nerve. He’d always try to change the subject. On the times when I would persist he would sort of… I don’t know, shut down? So I learnt not to mention it. But then Oleana knew all about it and I just… I’m _hurt_ , I guess. I’m hurt that he didn’t tell me.”

Raihan sighs, “Yikes. Sounds heavy. I mean, I kind of get where you’re coming from. Piers… he had secrets like that too. Things he didn’t want to talk about. I only found out about some of those things by accident. Felt angry and upset that he didn’t feel like he could tell me. That he didn’t trust me enough to not do a runner over it, you know? I was so mad I felt like I wanted to knock him out over it.”

Sonia nods. _That’s exactly how I’m feeling!_ She’s curious about what secrets Piers has kept from Raihan and wonders if it has anything to do with what Marnie almost told her while they were in captivity. She doesn’t ask though. It’s not her place to know.

“But we talked about it,” Raihan continues awkwardly, “Couldn’t _not_ talk about it, you know? I just wanted him to know that I wasn’t going to abandon him over those things. I mean, our problems before… I didn’t help. I can’t say I can blame him for thinking that I was only in it for sex or that he thought I saw him as some rebound option for a non-existent relationship. I suppose I can blame my lack of real relationship experience for that,” he chuckles nervously, “But… yeah. We talked about it. It wasn’t fun but we got to understand each other’s points. Eventually. Piers isn’t one to talk about his feelings easily and he isn’t used to affection or any sort of nice treatment from anyone except Marnie so you can imagine how tricky _that_ conversation was.”

“I can imagine,” she says quietly with a sad smile, “He always seemed the type.”

“He’s had a shit life,” Raihan shrugs, “Back in the day if you lived in Spikemuth you had to be tough. Any sign of weakness and they ate you alive. Doesn’t help that his dad was an abusive piece of shit as well.”

 _Like Leon’s dad apparently was,_ the thought enters Sonia’s head unbidden. She shakes it off – if Leon wants to tell Raihan about it he will, in his own time. But the fact that she has this knowledge now… she’s not sure if she _should_ just sit on it, not when Leon’s about to become a father himself in a few short weeks. Sonia is broken out of her thoughts by a vibration on Raihan’s phone. She narrows her eyes at him teasingly, “You’re not allowed your phone on in here.”

“You expect me to go without my phone?” Raihan grins toothily at her as he pulls it out of his pocket, “And here I thought you were clever,” he glances at the message and his grin widens, “Anyway, I think you’ll be glad I kept it on in this case. Your boyfriend’s here. Main reception downstairs. Probably going out of his mind wondering where you are, the poor bastard.”

“Leon’s here?” she breathes out, “Well… can you… can you bring him up here? Arceus knows he’ll never find me by himself.”

“Do you even have to ask?” the dragon tamer smirks as he leans over and gently hugs her, “I’ll go point him in the right direction. Whether he continues to go in the right direction is another thing entirely but I’m sure a nurse will help him from there. I should probably leave you two alone anyway. Check in on my fella. So I’ll see you later. Take care of yourself now.”

“I will. Thank you so much Raihan. For all of this. I… I really appreciate it.”

“Anytime, Clever Clogs,” he winks at her, raises his hand in goodbye and promptly turns around to leave the ward, leaving Sonia alone with her thoughts. She thinks she’s greatly misjudged Raihan. He’s nothing like the loud-mouthed, arrogant brat she remembers occasionally battling Leon from her youth. She thinks she can finally see why Leon trusts him as much as he does. He had no real attachment to her other than her being his best friend’s girlfriend, but it didn’t stop him from making every effort to get her to a hospital, didn’t stop him from staying with her and reassuring her until a doctor could get around to seeing her. He even called her grandparents and was able to get an update on Yamper for her.

It doesn’t make her own dilemma any easier to deal with, but she reasons that Raihan’s probably right. She probably _should_ just try and talk about what she’s learnt with Leon, if only so that they’re both on the same page. Secrets aren’t good for a relationship anyway.

It takes him a full fifteen minutes to arrive at her private room and when he does she can’t stop her eyes from welling up with tears because she realizes that there was a small part of her that feared she’d never see him again. He gazes at her with such fear and concern and _guilt_ , and before she can even speak he’s rushing over to her and curling his arms tightly around her, burying his head into her neck and whispering her name and several apologies over and over. What he’s apologizing for, Sonia doesn’t know. It’s not like any of this is his fault. But then again, that’s him all over too.

Finally he pulls away, pressing his forehead against hers and Sonia immediately notices how utterly exhausted and worried he looks, “Are you okay? What about the twins? I was told you had to be rushed in but when I got here nobody could tell me anything because I’m not your next of kin.”

“I’m fine… just tired. The twins are okay too, they checked. I had a bleed but apparently they think it’s just an infection caused by…” she hesitates, “well, they just want to keep me in for observation.”

“Caused by what?” he asks, almost desperate, “Sonia, _please_. I need to know.”

She chews her lip. Raihan said he had never seen Leon as angry as when he was pursuing Oleana. She doesn’t want to tip him over the edge again. Yet, she knows that she cannot exactly keep it from him. It’ll only be a matter of time before the police turn up looking to take a statement from her and she thinks she’ll need him there when that happens, for when she has to… relive everything.

So she inhales shakily before answering him, “Oleana, she… she had her Froslass use Draining Kiss on Marnie and me… to make sure we had no strength to try and run away. The doctors think it might have weakened my immune system enough for the infection to happen. It wasn’t exactly hygienic in that cellar.”

His face hardens. She can see his fists clenching, gripping her hospital blanket so tightly that she thinks it might end up scrunched up forever. She places a shaking hand on his, “It’s okay now… I’m here. And the twins are fine.”

“It’s _not_ fine,” he growls, “How can she… who _does_ something like that?”

“She said she wanted to get Rose’s attention as much as hurt you and Bede,” she tells him tentatively, “She… it seems like she’s been hurt a lot before Rose came along. So when he turned his back on her… I don’t know, maybe she snapped?”

“That’s not a good excuse,” he replies harshly, “It’ll _never_ be a good excuse for what she did to you.”

“I know… just… I kind of feel a bit sorry for her now that I’m out of that situation and have had a chance to really think about what she must have been feeling…”

“Don’t,” Leon rubs his face, and she can see that his eyes are welling up much like hers, “Just… _don’t._ Please. Not now, anyway. I _can’t_ -”

“Okay.”

He leans in again for another hug and she finds herself relaxing in his warm embrace. He’s still shaking though, and she can only imagine this has been as much of an ordeal for him as it has been for her. It seems Oleana succeeded in getting her desired results from Leon, at the very least. Whether or not she succeeded in getting Rose’s attention… well, she probably shouldn’t be thinking about that now.

He pulls away again, staring straight into her eyes, “Part of me thought I might never see you again.”

That seems to trigger the tears to begin to slide out of Sonia’s eyes and down her cheeks, “Me too.”

He presses a kiss to her forehead before he rests his chin there, all while seeming to continue to try and fight back tears, “I love you so, _so_ much and… I think I love _them_ too,” he gently places a hand on her belly and she instantly feels a small nudge coming from inside of her, “I feel like a right idiot. It shouldn’t have taken you getting fucking _kidnapped_ for me to realize how I feel about them. I’m sorry, Sonia. I’m so, so sorry.”

“I don’t blame you,” she whispers and she means it, especially with what she now knows. She rubs his back tenderly, messing with the ends of his hair and he lets out a shaky sigh. She lets out a whimper as the tears fall faster. _He loves them. He really loves our girls._

He eventually pulls away, “Did she… did she do anything else?”

“No,” she shook her head, moving to wipe her eyes, “Just… kept us in a dark cellar and made sure we had no energy to fight back or run. We did have food and water at least.”

“Right,” he says tightly.

“And…” should she go there? It may not be the best time. But if not now, then when? Better to rip the plaster off now, surely? Even though tears are starting to fall effortlessly down her face, she needs to do this, “She told us things. About y-you and Bede. Specifically… w-why Rose took such an interest in you.”

He looks uncomfortable when he blurts out, “Because I was a top-notch battler and was making him good money? Because he needed a strong trainer to capture Eternatus?”

“N-not that. Specifically, w-why he felt he had t-to… look out for you,” she sniffles, “If that’s what you c-can call it.”

He falls silent, turning away from her slightly. Her heart drops in her chest. She was worried he might react like this. She remembers one time she really persisted with this conversation before when they were nine. He tried to change the subject and when that didn’t work he clammed up. Eventually he stormed out of her house with a harried apology, telling her he’d see her at school. When he saw her at school after that he remained distant until she apologized and promised not to discuss it again, after which everything seemed to shift back to normal between them.

She hopes that something similar doesn’t happen this time. She hesitates slightly, before she decides she has no choice now but to continue, “W-why didn’t you ever tell me?”

“What good would it have done?” he whispers, his muscles tensed, “It’s in the past.”

“It still e-effects you though, doesn’t it? I know you…” she trails off, licking her lips, “W-what did he do to you?”

“It doesn’t matter,” he says harshly.

“I want to know. Oleana s-said he was a-abusive.”

“I wouldn’t go that far,” his body language is saying the opposite to his words because he still won’t look at her and he’s shaking more than he was before, “He never hit me or anything.”

“You don’t need to h-hit someone to be abusive,” she tells him tenderly, trying to reach across to touch him but he pulls away, “All that shit people say about how w-words can never hurt you is a load of c-crap. I know that f-from experience. What did he _do?”_

“Why do you want to know?”

“Because I-I want you to be able to _t-trust_ me,” she says, tears soaking her cheeks, “Whatever he did… it still _h-hurts_ you, I can tell. I want to _h-help_ you.”

“Are you sure that’s the reason?” he says coldly, “Or are you scared that I’m going to do to the twins what he did to me?”

“No! I-I could _never-_ ”

“No… it’s fine,” he lets out a pained sigh, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you like that. That was uncalled for. It’s just…” she hears what sounds like a choked sob, “It’s not a happy subject for me. I… I was going to tell you at _some_ point but…”

“W-why didn’t you?”

He gulps, “I didn’t want to cause you unnecessary stress. Especially not over something that happened so long ago. You… you had enough to worry about.”  
  
“Oh, _dandelion_ …” she leans forward again in an attempt to hug him. This time he doesn’t pull away and she notices now that tears are streaming down his face, “What have I _t-told_ you? I want you to come and _t-talk_ to me about things that bother you. We’re a _t-team_. I might b-be pregnant, but I’m n-not fragile. A-and my mind’s as sharp as it’s ever been.”

He turns to face her now and she can see his eyes are puffy and red, and his cheeks are wet but he’s grinning weakly, “Have you forgotten about ‘the thing that makes the pictures change’ already?”

“O-okay,” she giggles hesitantly, “ _A-almost_ as sharp as it’s ever been. B-but I’m here for you. I’ve _a-always_ been here and I’ll always _be_ here. Y-you don’t have to handle things o-on your own. So please, l-let me in.”

He pauses, taking a shuddering breath. Sonia wonders if this might be it, if he’ll finally confide in her about the one thing he never spoke about to her before. Eventually, he begins, while still not quite making eye contact with her, “He… he’d always say things. Hurtful things. Would always start out little but eventually got worse. If I came home with a bad school report, he’d tell me I could do better and to stop being so fucking stupid, and then when mum would defend me he’d get angry for a bit but then he’d always shrug and say that maybe she’s right not to be bothered by those things because I won’t amount to anything anyway. If he can’t have expectations of me, he can’t get disappointed, see?”

Sonia frowns, feeling her chest tighten as he continues, “He always said things like that. Said I was worthless and a failure because I came from a worthless failure. Said I was just like him and that there was no point hoping for anything different because people like me and him will never be listened to and will never be important. Sometimes he said he pitied me for being born. But those weren’t the worst things he’s said…”

“What did he say, dandelion?” she whispers, stroking his arm and she can feel another sob wrack his chest.

“One time, I think I was about five… I lashed out at him and told him I hated him and he… he got _right up in my face_ and said the feeling was mutual,” he eventually chokes out, grasping at his trousers tightly as his sobs begin to increase in frequency, “Because if he hates himself then he must hate me too because I’m just like him. Mum always said he loved me despite anything he might say but I knew… I just _knew_ it wasn’t true. Sure, he’d sometimes say he was sorry and that he didn’t mean what he said and that he was just lashing out but over time he just… stopped apologizing. Seemed to just assume I would forgive him because I always did. He’d always remind me not to tell mum about what he said though. He’d tell me that I’d destroy our family and ruin everything like I usually do if I told her any of it. He did that a lot, especially when mum was pregnant with Hop. He’d tell me that if I cared about Hop at all I’d keep my gob shut.”

She chewed her lip, “So… why did he leave? He didn’t enter into the Unova Pokémon League, did he?”

He shook his head, “No, he didn’t… All I ever wanted when I was little was for him to be proud of me. I found out he’d taken part in the Galar Gym Challenge before I was born. So I started watching matches on the telly thinking it’d make him happy and… I got really into it. I’d always loved Pokémon so I suppose it shouldn’t have been surprising but… turned out he hated it,” he finally meets her eyes and she can see his golden orbs are swimming with pain, “He _hated_ that I loved Pokémon battles. He’d watch them with me because mum would tell him to but he didn’t like it and made sure I knew that. Turns out it was because he failed the challenge and was bitter about it. Anyway when I decided that _I_ wanted to do the challenge when I was old enough…”

He pauses, taking a shuddering gasp, “He tried to put me off, at first. Gave me excuse after excuse as to why it was a stupid idea. A few times he kicked off about it, would have a right go at me and remind me that as a failure I wouldn’t get anywhere. That he didn’t want to see me upset when I inevitably fucked up. Anyway, I was… pretty stubborn about it. I knew it was what I wanted to do more than _anything_ … Anyway, one night he and mum had a massive argument. I remember some of what was said. Namely that he would stop me from doing it if he had his own way, that I’d fail and then he’d have to pick up the pieces, like it was a fucking chore or something. He… got mad at mum for defending me, said I was a mummy’s boy. And then… he left. Said he wasn’t going to stick around to watch me fuck my life up. And that was it. Never saw him again after that.”

“Oh, _babe_ …”

He leans forward to bury his head into her neck, clearly too overwhelmed to keep looking at her, “When I was little mum always used to sit in my bedroom with me and tell me that my dad’s mind was sick and that that sometimes makes people say or do silly things because they have demons in their head that make them believe those silly things are true. And… I _think_ I get that. I get it now more than I ever did when I was a kid. But back then… it felt like he meant everything he said and that _hurt_. I mean, if it weren’t for mum, I don’t think I’d have had the guts to go out and do the things I wanted to do because he never did anything to try and lift me up in any sort of way. And… I’m not sure, but I don’t think his mind being sick or whatever was a good enough excuse to say and do all the things he did.”

_Oh, Leon… I’m so sorry. I wish I had known all this sooner._

“Anyway, mum told Rose about my dad when I became Champion. She had to have a private meeting with him because I was underage so he needed to get consent from her on things I was allowed to do in terms of the media. She mentioned it to him. And after that Rose just kind of… I don’t know. It’s like he felt bad for me? He kept saying I was abused. I… never saw it that way. I _still_ have a hard time seeing it as abuse when I compare my experience to other people’s,” he almost shrinks in on himself, “Anyway, the whole thing made me feel uncomfortable because I wanted him to see me as a Champion and not some hurt, abandoned little victim but I could never say it because I didn’t want him to think I was being ungrateful or anything.”

“So he _was_ like a father figure to you,” Sonia whispers emotionally, “Is that why you put up with all of the restrictions he put on you? Because he gave you what your father didn’t?”

“Maybe,” he says, burying his head further into her neck and inhaling her scent, “He always knew what to say to make me feel like I wasn’t a failure and I think… I think I got addicted to that. Because they were all things I wanted to hear my dad say, so when he said them I could pretend that my dad was saying all those things. When I was a kid, I sometimes used to wish Rose _was_ my real dad. That mum had some secret affair with him before I was born. I knew it wasn’t true, of course,” she feels his nose wrinkle into her shoulder, “ _Certainly_ don’t feel that way now that I see him for who he really is. I know now that it was all just to keep me in line so I could catch Eternatus and rake money in for him. Hurts to know that, too. Maybe he did care, but his way of showing it… looking back, it was kind of controlling. Toxic. A different kind of toxic from my dad… but still toxic.”

“Is that why…” she asks tentatively, “Is that why you were so scared? When I told you about the twins?”

“It… was a big part of it,” he pulls back to look at her, meeting her eyes again while he wipes the wetness from his cheeks with a sleeve, “He always said I was like him and even though I spent so many years doing _everything_ I could to prove otherwise, I think… I think deep down, it’s something I’m still scared of. Somewhat. I mean, mum’s _told_ me I’m not like him and I _do_ want to believe her but… I don’t know. It’s like he’s always _there_ , like a shadow in the back of my mind, whispering in my ear, you know? Telling me that I’m a failure. And… and I don’t want any kids of mine to experience that. Not _ever_.”

“Oh _sweetie,”_ she breaks, a fresh wave of tears flooding her face as she curls her arms tighter around him, pulling him as close to her as she possibly can, “You are the most wonderful person I’ve ever known and as far from a failure as you could possibly be. I mean, l-look at all the things you’ve _done_. You became Champion at _ten years old_ when at that point in time i-it had never been done. You inspired s-so many children across the world to believe that being young doesn’t mean they won’t have what it takes. I mean, a year after _you_ became Champ, an eleven year old became Champion in Kanto! I-I mean it might not be related _at all_ b-but who knows? You now run one of the _greatest_ battle facilities in Galar and _you_ were chosen to act as chairman until a permanent one takes the position. I don’t see how you could possibly be e-even _close_ to a failure.”

“Sonia, I-”

“No, please l-listen to me now… I-I can’t say I don’t get where you’re coming from… my gran was always pretty harsh but she _never_ -” she pauses, trying to gather her thoughts so she can express them in a way that makes sense, “I mean, I’m not l-like my _gran_ am I? Not _completely?_ So why would you be like your dad just because he wanted to-to _project_ his insecurities onto you when you were little? The man I’m l-looking at right now would _never_ tear a child’s confidence down, would never tell _anyone_ they were worthless e-even if they deserved it and has _always_ tried to lift people up, to m-make people believe in themselves. That sounds like the complete _o-opposite_ to your so-called father from w-what you’re telling me.”

She shudders, pressing a hesitant yet gentle kiss against his quivering lips, “So p-please… trust me when I say that you are going to be an _a-amazing_ daddy to our girls. I-I mean, aside from d-directions you’re a-amazing at pretty much everything e-else, so why should this b-be any different?”

“ _Sonia_ …” he finally crumbles, curling into her chest and sobbing heavily again. She wraps her arms around his head, stroking his messy hair tenderly while whispering soothing words of love and comfort to him. She considers that maybe she can only do so much to help Leon with these insecurities that she’s only just learnt the true extent of, so she might perhaps suggest that he should see a therapist. Heck, it’s already been suggested to her that she should maybe have counselling for her ordeal so maybe… maybe it might help him to have something similar. But she’ll leave that suggestion for later. For now, he just needs _her._ He needs her reassurance, her comfort and her love.

She fully intends to ensure that she’s always there to give him all of that and more from now on.


	26. Baby Shower

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “So have you asked her yet?”
> 
> “Not yet.”
> 
> “Time’s slipping by, mate. She’s going to have them in, what, three to six weeks?”
> 
> “You don’t need to remind me.”

“I can’t _believe_ you lot…” Sonia gushes the moment they arrive at the tower, “How long have you known about this?”

Leon shrugs, “Not long. Nessa kind of let it slip after the police took your statement. Said she wanted to bring it forward because you probably needed a bit of a pick-me-up after everything that’s happened and when she said she didn’t have a place to hold it I volunteered.”

Sonia’s jaw drops open just a little bit more, “But won’t this interfere with your work? Or the Champion Cup?”

“Not really,” he says, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly, “I gave everyone the day off and closed it to the public for the day. It’s not that big of an issue. Everyone’s still getting paid. The Champion Cup’s paperwork has all been sorted out so it’s just a matter of getting it started on Monday now.”

She doesn’t reply to that. It’s probably just as well because he’s drinking in her sheer surprise and joy, feeling quite pleased with himself to have been able to contribute towards such a special occasion for her. Granted, it’s a special occasion for him as well, given that the twins are just as much his as they are hers, but he doesn’t mind so much about not being surprised. _He_ didn’t spend two days locked in a cellar being drained of energy. He probably shouldn’t think about that though. He’s determined not to ruin today for her by dwelling on what happened.

It was a little over four weeks ago since that whole situation, but it still gets him angry just thinking about it. Sonia’s not had the easiest time of things since then and he can’t help but wonder how much of that Oleana is to blame for. Her gran has told him that she often wanders the house at night aimlessly, and when he eventually discussed it with her she opened up that she was having nightmares about the incident. Yamper and Applin would cuddle with her at night but they could only do so much for her. Add said nightmares to the fact that financially she’s finding it difficult to afford getting her lab fixed up and her equipment replaced, as well as the fact that she’s now thirty four weeks pregnant (and pretty darn big) _and_ the looming court case where she’s expected to give her testimony against Oleana, and it’s no wonder the poor woman’s lost a lot of sleep. Still, he has a potential solution to offer her for one of those problems at least. He hopes she’ll be on board with it.

But that’s not what’s important right now. He hopes that everything’s all ready for her inside the room he’s selected to hold the baby shower in. He’d asked Hop and Gloria to escort his family and Sonia’s grandparents to the do ahead of time so that all the people they care about most would be there when he arrived with her.

She grips his hand tightly, “Well… I’m ready then, I guess. Lead the way. Try not to get us lost though.”

“In here? Not a chance! This is the one place in the world where it’s impossible to get lost!”

She snorts in disbelief but she lets him lead her into the building. She wrinkles her nose at the glass floor with the fake roses underneath, but he just gives her an indifferent shrug. It’s not as if he hasn’t considered getting rid of them, but a lot of people have said they give the building character so he reluctantly keeps them around. _Maybe one day._

She leans closer to him, “How’s the therapy been going?”

He exhales slightly. Of course she’d ask, given that it was her idea for him to see someone in the first place, “Fine, I guess. He asks a lot of questions that I already know the answer to. I get that it’s supposed to change my thinking patterns into something less negative but… I don’t know. It’s early days. Can only see how it goes, can’t I?”

“Yeah… but if he’s not helping you, then we can always try and find somebody else.”

“It’s fine. Like my mum said, I need to give these things time, right?”

“That’s true, I suppose.”

“And _your_ sessions?”

She wrinkles her nose again – after all, she’d only agreed to accept the offer for counselling if he agreed to seek therapy, “Same sort of thing, really. It helps when she reminds me that I couldn’t have done anything more to have avoided what happened and that none of it was my fault but… I’m still having bad dreams some nights. It’s not every night any more but still… frequent enough. Doesn’t help that I keep getting reminded that I need to testify,” she shivers slightly, “I’m not looking forward to that.”

He squeezes her hand, “I’ll be right there for you, I promise. Whatever you need. I understand. I’m nervous about testifying myself. Was hard enough last time around during Rose’s court case. Not as hard as it was on Hop and Gloria but still… pretty tough. Not easy to relive that sort of stuff.”

“Yeah… not helping much, dandelion.”

“Right. Sorry. Didn’t mean to go on.”

“That’s okay. I appreciate the support,” she leans over and kisses his cheek, leaving him feeling warm and tingly inside, “Aren’t we getting in the lift?”

He shakes his head at her, his smile widening cheekily, “There’s an area on the bottom floor that’s pretty much been unused ever since Rose got locked up. Nothing goes on there usually, especially not since it’s been emptied out, but it’s sizeable and easy to find.”

“Oh,” she looks a tad confused by what he’s saying but she doesn’t press it.

He continues to guide her, her hand remaining gently in his, and he’s relieved that he suggested they have the baby shower here. Not only because this tower is the only place in the whole world where he finds it impossible to get lost, but also because of the suggestion he’s going to make to her at some point. He hopes she likes it. This will give him a good idea on if she’s going to be receptive to the idea or not.

Eventually, after turning another corner they arrive in a large, spacious room with a few counters and several of their mutual friends and family, all grinning and most of them bearing wrapped gifts in pale pink, blue, orange and yellow paper. Nessa approaches them first, curling her arms around Sonia who immediately reciprocates, seeming to hold back tears.

The Hulbury Gym Leader pulls away just enough to grin at her best friend, “I wanted to do the whole jumping out and yelling ‘surprise’ thing but your boyfriend wouldn’t have it. Something about how it might make you go into labour early.”

Sonia rolls her eyes in his direction, “Typical. Though truth be told, it’s probably for the best. I think I’ve had enough surprises to last me a lifetime.”

Leon snorts at that but before he can say anything, she’s already grabbing his girlfriend by the hand and practically dragging her into the room, “So what do you think? He really came through, didn’t he?”

Sonia turns back to face him, her expression softening, “He did. This is… _wow_. No battling happens here at all?”  
  
“No,” he quickly says, stepping forward after them and running a hand through his hair again, “It took us ages to get all of the junk in here moved to storage and by the time that was done we’d already worked out a good system so it’s just kind of been sitting here empty. Ceiling’s a bit too low anyhow.”

“What was it used for before?”

Leon doesn’t particularly know if he should tell her. It’s not something that he thinks she will like to hear, especially given it involves one of her least favourite people and if he wants her to accept his suggestion then he doesn’t fancy his chances if she knows that it used to be Rose’s living space. Luckily, he doesn’t have to worry about it because Nessa’s speaking up again, “Does it matter? What’s important is the here and now, mate. Come on, let’s get this thing started. We’ve got lots of presents for you to open!”

The two women sit with Hop, Gloria, his family and her grandparents as one by one they gently push presents into Sonia’s trembling yet eager hands. He can’t help but smile at her demeanour – she certainly seems happy and carefree as she begins to work her way through unwrapping the first gift she has – a changing mat. As he watches his mum catches his eye for a second and winks, and he can’t help a small embarrassed cough that escapes from his throat.

Then he feels a clap against his shoulder which almost makes him jump, until he realizes it’s only Raihan who’s grinning at him toothily, “Sorry I’m late, mate. A certain someone can be a right pain in the arse when it comes to getting out of bed.”

“Oi, it ain’t jus’ me,” Piers grumbles from behind him while holding a gift that looks like it’s been wrapped at the last possible minute, “Li’l miss sleepy here kept ya waitin’ too, ya know.”

“ _I_ was actually awake _early_ today so don’t give ‘im that,” Marnie jabs back, hands on her hips before she catches Hop and Gloria’s eyes and practically scampers over to join them, her own (slightly better looking) wrapped gift in hand.

“So where’d ya want this?” Piers asks, lifting his present slightly, “This one’s for your kiddos.”

“Over there,” he gestures towards Sonia and Piers seems to wrinkle his nose slightly at the thought of having to socialize, but he lets out a sigh and goes to join them anyway. Raihan stays put though, sliding his hands into his pockets.

“So have you asked her yet?”

“Not yet.”

“Time’s slipping by, mate. She’s going to have them in, what, three to six weeks?”

“You don’t need to remind me.”

“I know I don’t but I’m going to anyway,” he’s grinning cheekily like he knows how annoying he’s being, “You haven’t got a lot of time. So just ask her and get it done and over with. I doubt she’ll say no.”

Leon decides to change the subject instead of admit that he’s worried about the possibility of her saying no, “What did Piers mean by _that_ one’s for the girls?”

“Oh, I got you another present. Specially for you, of course. Figured it would be a wise idea given that once she’s had them you’re going to have to go a bit more careful. Wouldn’t want you forgetting about it again, would we?”

Oh, he doesn’t like the sound of that, “ _What_ did you get?”

“Well I was going to give them to you later, but if you insist,” he turns to Piers, “Hey, babe. You got those… other things? You know what I mean, right?”

Piers lets out another aggravated sigh before getting back up and walking back over to the two men. He leans into his bag, pulling out a pack of condoms and stuffing them into Leon’s hands, his cheeks tinged pink, “Before ya say a word, this ain’t my doin’. S’all _this_ dipshit’s idea,” he shoots Raihan a glare as he begins to back away warily, “He thought it’d be funny.”

The dragon tamer chuckles at his boyfriend’s swiftly retreating form, “Well, it kind of _is_. He was cackling as much as I was when I first suggested it.”

Leon isn’t sure how to feel about this, but he quickly puts the pack of condoms on the counter next to him, discreetly pushing it as far back as he possibly can so nobody can see them. The last thing he needs is for Sonia to catch sight of them or, heaven forbid, _his mother_. That’d be _incredibly_ embarrassing, “Er… thanks, I guess?”

“I told him you wouldn’t take it personally, but he wouldn’t believe me.”

“I’m not even sure _how_ I should take it to be honest,” he replies with an honest shrug, “Part of me thinks you’re a bit of a tasteless dick but then again you do have a point so… yeah. Can hardly rag on you too much, can I?”

“You wouldn’t anyway. You’re a big softie deep down.”

“Oi, watch it. I’m technically your boss.”

“That doesn’t mean anything, especially when it’s only temporary.”

“Eleven. Nil.”

“It’s only a matter of time. I’ll beat you one of these days.”

He snorts at that, “It’d still be eleven-one. That’s if I don’t make it twelve-nil first _and_ if I don’t count all the times you lost to me before I became Champion.”

Raihan grins widely, “Well if you want to be like _that_ then I’d say it’s _technically_ still ten-nil because our last match wasn’t an official one,” he lets out a sigh, “Either way, I’d offer to beat you down right now but I don’t think Sonia would be too happy about it.”

“Probably not, no. What about Piers?”  
  
“He probably wouldn’t give a shit either way,” the dragon tamer runs a hand over his dreads, “He’s kind of moved past wanting to keep up with me in battle. More focused on his music lately. It’s good because it’s like he doesn’t feel like he needs to prove himself to me any more, and we’re getting on better because that’s not hanging over him as much as it used to.”

“That’s good,” he pauses, licking his lips hesitantly. There is something else he wants to bring up, but he’s unsure if he should wait for Sonia or not to discuss it. He shoots another glance over at her, another soft smile crossing his face as he watches her gush over some admittedly adorable tiny dresses. Raihan follows his gaze, grinning at him slyly.

“So have you two come up with names for the kiddos yet?”

“Not yet,” he murmurs, “Haven’t had much of a chance to think about it, what with the court case coming up and everything else. Sonia’s probably got some ideas though. I might just defer it all to her.”

Raihan rolls his eyes at that, but is quickly caught off guard by a loud excited squeal of something that sounds like acceptance and thanks coming from Nessa, who’s throwing her arms around Sonia and squeezing her tight while everyone else claps warmly. Sonia’s eyes meet Leon’s for a fraction of a second, and she raises an eyebrow curiously. A message he understands well by this point. _It’s your turn now, dandelion. Ask him._

“What’s that all about?”  
  
Leon knows all too well. Well, if she could bring it up to Nessa without him, then maybe he can bring it up to Raihan without her. Sure, Raihan might not get as big a public reception, but he’ll get over that eventually. _Well, here goes nothing, I guess._

“Sonia and I were talking the other night,” he begins, stuffing his hands in his own pockets, “She wanted Nessa to be the twins’ godmother.”

“Oh, I see,” he says, completely oblivious to any potential change in energy coming from him, “Figures, really. They are best mates and she’s always looked out for her when you couldn’t.”

“Or didn’t,” he still feels bad about that. He should’ve been there for her a lot more when he was Champion. But that’s in the past and he’s here for her now. Isn’t this part of the reason he’s going to therapy in the first place – to come to terms with the past so he can look to the future more clearly? “Anyway, um… we’re not sure about what’s traditional with this sort of thing but we wanted at least two godparents for the girls and we both agreed to ask if you wanted to. Be the girls’ godfather, that is.”

“Mate, are you seriously asking _me_ this?” he looks genuinely taken aback.

“Yeah. I mean, you’re _my_ best mate and you might have saved their lives by getting Sonia to hospital when you did so… yeah. Are you up for it?”

“Fuck _yeah_ , mate!” he grins madly, “I’ll do it. I’m only too fucking happy to teach your little monsters how to thrash their daddy in battle,” he eagerly whips his phone out, “Mind if I post a selfie to Pokégram announcing it?”

Leon rolls his eyes again, leaning in, “Go on then.”

* * *

“ _Breast pumps,_ Gran?” Sonia blurts out in horror as she holds the aforementioned items, her cheeks fiercely reddening as she wishes she could just sink through the floor to a place where her grandparents and Leon’s mother aren’t looking at her, “ _Really?_ You couldn’t have given this to me at home?”

“It’s a practical gift,” her grandmother sniffs, “Honestly Sonia, there’s nothing to be embarrassed about. A majority of breastfeeding women express their milk. It’ll probably be more beneficial for you given that you want to breastfeed and there are two little mouths for you to feed.”

“I expressed with both of my boys,” Leon’s mum says warmly, resting a hand on her arm, “Though don’t tell Leon I told you that. He might just die of embarrassment.”

“I think _I’m_ going to die of embarrassment…” Hop moans quietly, his hands covering his furiously red face while Gloria and Marnie are trying not to laugh beside him, “ _Mu-u-um,_ you know I’m _right here_ and so is _Gloria!_ And Sonia’s technically my _boss!”_

She at least has the good grace to look guilty, “I’m sorry Hopscotch, but it’s true. If it makes you feel better though… Gloria sweetheart, pretend you heard none of that.”

“Already done,” the Champion grins, though it’s evident from her expression that she won’t be forgetting any time soon, the cheeky little minx.

“Anyway, here’s mine,” Marnie says, passing Sonia her present, “T’ get ya off that topic.”

Sonia takes it, shooting the girl a grateful glance. She’s gotten to know her a little bit better since the whole kidnapping incident, as she’s apparently been making more of an effort to visit her friends more, so occasionally (whenever she wasn’t expected at the gym for challengers) she’d ring Hop at the lab and ask to meet up for a cup of tea and cake. Sometimes Gloria would join them and really shake things up.

“Oh, this is _beautiful,”_ she gushes as she holds up a stuffed Yamper that’s almost as big as the real thing, “Where did you-”

“Custom made,” she says, “Reckoned that since they’re prolly gonna get lots o’ Charizard stuff I’d see ‘bout gettin’ somethin’ Yamper related. So I asked Bede for ideas an’ then he asked Opal an’ then she helped make it. Apparently he reckons she’s gettin’ bored now, she ain’t been able to hang around him at the gym as often.”

“How have things been with you and Bede?”

“Good,” Marnie says with a smile, “We still hang out when we both get a day off from takin’ on challengers or trainin’.”

“I still don’t know _how_ you got him to apologize for the things he said to you,” Gloria remarks, clearly impressed, “He still hasn’t apologized for all the shit he pulled with Hop.”

“I ain’t takin’ sides, Glor, I _told_ ya that already.”

“I’m not asking you to.”

“What are you even on about?” Sonia asks, her curiosity running away with her before she can reign it in.

She expects Gloria to tell her it isn’t any of her business. She wouldn’t blame her if she did. But she’s proven wrong when Gloria turns to her with a tired sigh, “You’ve probably heard all about how Bede hates me, right?”

“Yes.”

“Well… he doesn’t. Hate me, that is,” Gloria continues awkwardly, chewing her lip, “If anything you might say it’s the complete opposite.”

“Wait…” the pieces are slowly sliding into place in Sonia’s head, “Are you saying Bede _likes_ you?”

“Got it in one.”

“Wait… _what?”_

Bede, who’s always insisted that Gloria taints every part of his life that she touches, who always insists that she’s a pain that messes everything up for him and who battles her like he wants nothing more than to crush her into dirt… he _likes_ her?

“S’true,” Marnie admits, looking guilty as if she’s divulging something she really shouldn’t be, “I mean, he hated Glor to begin with bu’ she grew on him over time, an’ he _technically_ has her to thank for him regainin’ all that popularity he had before the whole Rose thing.”

“But…” she turns back to Gloria, “Aren’t you and Hop-?”

“Yeah,” Gloria says with another sigh, this one more sad-sounding, “We are. And Bede doesn’t like it. He asked me out once, a while ago. Back before even _Hop_ asked me out. I turned him down because I don’t have those sort of feelings for him, I never have done. I just… I think it’s always been Hop for me, and I thought if I go out with someone without feeling any sort of attraction to them… well, that wouldn’t be fair on them, would it?”

“No, it probably wouldn’t have been.”

“Anyway, I didn’t talk to him for a while afterwards. He always turned down any opportunity to hang out and he’d get the gym staff to answer the phone for him in case it was me. Next thing I know, I find out he’s challenged Hop to a battle.”

Hop decides to intervene, cutting his girlfriend off, “Yeah, he started going off about how Gloria needed someone who could keep up with her both on and off the battlefield. Apparently, she ‘didn’t need someone who couldn’t be arsed to continue with battling full time’. I proved him wrong.”

“They got me to referee that one,” Marnie says quietly, “Bit awkward, havin’ to stick around an’ watch two of your mates havin’ it out an’ sayin’ real nasty shit to each other.”

“I’m still sorry about that,” Hop replies, biting his lip, “I should never have put you in that position.”

“I know, I must’ve said a ‘undred times that I forgive ya, so pack it in with the apologies. Anyway, I think Bede really thought he was gonna win that match ‘cause he’s beaten Hop before. He lost though. Badly. Couldn’ get past Zamazenta.”

Hop shrugs, “I offered to not use him, to make things fairer. He insisted it wouldn’t make a difference. Anyway, that’s how I learnt about how Gloria… well, you know. And I went from there. After she started talking to me again, that is.”

“Yeah, I was pretty angry with them both for fighting over me like I was some sort of trophy,” Gloria remarks sheepishly, “Didn’t speak to either of them for about a week before Hop turned up and apologized for it. But yeah, that’s about it. To this day, Bede’s still not apologized for his part in that and he still doesn’t want to talk to me,” her expression shifts into a sadder one, “I wounded his pride so I don’t know if we’ll ever reach a point where things will change.”

Leon wanders over at that moment, standing behind Sonia and resting a gentle hand on her shoulder. She glances up at him, leaning her head against his arm and drinking in the affection she can feel oozing from him. Raihan wanders near Piers and while they don’t make any physical contact, they share a warm look at each other, Raihan’s grin wide and toothy while Piers’ is smaller, almost shy.

Leon frowns at Gloria, “If that’s the case, why’d you get Marnie to send him memes?”

“Thought if I got him to pay attention to someone else then he might get over whatever crush he has on me,” she shrugs, her cheeks faintly turning pink, “Then I thought things might go back to the way things were. Or something close to that, at least.”

Raihan guffaws at that, “ _Really?_ How the fuck did she get _you_ to go along with _that,_ Marnie?”

“She’s bloody annoyin’ an’ persuasive, that’s why,” Marnie groans, resting her head in her hands, “Anyway she has us all wrong. He don’ like me like that an’ I don’ like him like that either. We’re mates with a mutual interest in takin’ Gloria down a peg or two, an’ that’s it.”

“You two _would_ make a cute couple though,” the Champion remarks with a cheeky grin.

Marnie folds her arms and glares at Gloria sternly, though her cheeks seem to be slowly turning pink, “Ain’t happenin’, mate. Hate to burst your bubble, but not every girl who’s mates with a bloke wants to start goin’ out with ‘em. Some of us can jus’ be mates an’ not feel anythin’ outside o’ that. Jus’ ‘cause you an’ Hop had feelings for each other an’ started goin’ out doesn’ mean the same is gonna happen for everyone else.”

“I wouldn’ approve anyway,” Piers interjects dryly, “Bloke’s too smug an’ up himself.”

“Like I’d need your approval for anythin’ I do,” she jabs back playfully, “Anyway, ya shouldn’ talk abou’ your boyfriend like that.”

“Oi, watch your mouth ya cheeky li’l madam!”

At that, Sonia can’t help but laugh until the tears start to stream down her cheeks.

* * *

It’s a nice day, all in all. Leon personally sees everyone to the train station, with Hop promising to see Sonia’s grandparents and Leon’s family back to Wedgehurst, only for his mum to gently clock him and remind him that she’s a grown woman and more than capable of making her own way home. Nessa hugs him, which he isn’t entirely sure he feels comfortable with, before she embraces Sonia and starts chattering about how excited she is to tell Milo that she’s going to be the twins’ godmother.

Raihan claps him on the shoulder again before he heads into the station himself, leaning close enough so that only he can hear, “Don’t forget to _ask her,_ mate.”

Before he can say a word of response, Raihan’s already followed Piers and Marnie inside the station to board their train back to Hammerlocke. With that, he and Sonia are alone again. He’s glad she agreed to spend the night at his. He’s tired and wants nothing more than to curl up in bed with her, maybe stroke her belly a bit to see if he can elicit some sort of response from one of the twins. Maybe both if he’s lucky.

It takes a while for the two of them to arrive back at his flat, as he couldn’t bring himself to ask Hop and Gloria to escort all of the presents they’ve gotten back to Sonia’s grandparents’ house. That, and if she agrees… well, it makes sense they stay here anyway. So he ends up carrying a good chunk of the gifts himself and offering to go back the following morning for the rest – the tower’s locked up for the night so nobody will be able to grab any of it. That, and nobody really goes into that room anyway.

He probably ought to broach that subject with her, though. Raihan did have a point about getting it over with.

After their tea she curls into his side on the sofa, watching their Pokémon playing with each other. Haxorus eyes her suspiciously as Leon rests his other hand onto her belly, giving it a little stroke. He chances a glance back at the dragon, only for her to meet his eyes sternly before turning her attention back to Yamper and Applin’s antics. Charizard could be heard behind them rummaging in the fridge, clearly uninterested in whatever his trainer was doing.

_Now or never._

“So what did you think of the room? You know, where we had the baby shower?”

She looks up at him, her brows furrowed in confusion, “It was nice. Very big. You could probably fit my whole lab in there. Why?”

 _Funny she should mention that,_ “Well… I was thinking that as you’re going to be having the twins soon and because you’re struggling to come up with money to repair your lab, maybe you might want to think about… I don’t know, using that space?”

She shifts her weight more, still looking confused, “I don’t understand.”

“Well…” _this is hard,_ “I want to be there for you. Everyday. And with twins to raise, it’d be a bit difficult if we’re living on opposite ends of Galar.”

She gasps, “Is this… what are you saying? You want me to _live_ in Wyndon?”

“Well,” _why is this so hard?_ “Yeah. I… wanted to ask if you would like to… to move in with me.”

“But why bring up the room in the tower unless-” her mouth drops open in realization, “ _Oh._ No. I can’t ask you to do _that.”_

“You’re _not_ asking me to do that. I’m _offering.”_

“But all of the lab equipment is going to be so _expensive,_ Leon!” she says, leaning forward and grasping his hand, “And there’s the cost of getting whatever survived getting smashed up here too! And then there’s _Hop!_ You can’t _seriously_ expect your brother to commute over two hours every day to come up here so he can work! And what about my grandparents? And-”

 _“Breathe,”_ he says with a weak grin (her reaction is surprisingly adorable), “I’ve got more than enough money to cover the costs of any lab equipment and then some. Being Champion paid well and the Battle Tower brings in just as much, so no need to worry about money. Same with transportation. As for Hop and your grandparents, I talked to them about this ahead of time so that we could hash things out. Hop’s been talking about moving up here anyway so he can be closer to Gloria and he reckons this gives him the perfect excuse. I mean, I still think they’re a bit young to be living together but he’s determined so I’m not going to talk him out of it. Your grandparents… they’re fully on board. Heck, your Gran bit my head off because I didn’t think to ask you sooner.”

“Well, I mean…” she stutters, getting to her feet and starting to pace up and down the room, much to Haxorus’ annoyance, “This is a _huge_ step, dandelion. _Massive._ I’m… not exactly the easiest person to live with. I get moody, I like to sleep in and…” she shoots a discreet glance over at Haxorus, “I’m not sure everybody would be happy about it.”

“My Pokémon will be fine, they’ll get used to it. You will, won’t you girl?” Leon says with a smile as he reaches a hand out to pet the huffy dragon, “Hax and Charizard know I still love them to bits and that they’ll still get spoiled rotten. Same with the rest of them. And all those other things? I already know all of that. I still want to live with you.”

“And have my lab at the same place you work? Won’t you get distracted or something?”

“It’ll be _fine_. It’s not like you’re going to be in the same part of the building as me and if I end up down your way… heck, I’m down for some office sex if you are.”

She rolls her eyes at him and giggles, “You’re insatiable.”

“You love it.”

“I do,” she chews her lip awkwardly, “So… are you sure you really want this? For me to l-live with you? Here?”

“Yes… but only if you want to,” he takes her hand again, “I… realize it’s a big step. Not just for our relationship but… going from living in the country to living in a city. Heck, I can speak from experience there. But like I said… I want to be there for you and our girls everyday. I want…” he gulps, because this is still a big thing for him to admit out loud, “I want to be a proper dad to our daughters. And I want to give you the life you deserve. If you’ll let me.”

Her eyes start to water, “Well, when you ask me like that, how can I refuse?”

Haxorus grunts, but Leon isn’t too focused on that right now. He can deal with her later if he needs to, which hopefully he won’t. His face feels like it’s about to split with how wide his smile is as he wraps his arms around her waist, enjoying the sudden feeling of one of his daughters kicking into his arm. He bends down slightly, capturing her lips in a soft kiss.

“So we’re really doing this?” Sonia asks as she pulls away, “You’re definitely ready?”  
  
“Yeah,” he says, feeling surprisingly confident, “I definitely am. Are you?”  
  
“Yeah. I think so. Let’s do it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I needed to write me some fluff after all that angst and drama!  
> Thanks again for reading, for leaving kudos and comments! They're always appreciated by my stupidly over-anxious self! :)


	27. Preparations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Hop keeps asking if we’ve thought about names,” he eventually murmurs into her hair and she pulls away slightly in (admittedly pleasant) surprise. It was always going to be a matter of time before this ended up being discussed, though she always thought she’d be the one broaching the subject.

Sonia has her doubts initially that moving in with Leon is a good idea. Maybe it’s because she spent so much of her life in Wedgehurst, a small country town in the south, and Wyndon is the complete opposite – a bustling metropolis that’s almost borderline overcrowded in spite of its many beautiful landmarks. That’s not to say that she doesn’t visit these places but visiting is often different from actively _living_ in such a location.

Or maybe her concern is with Leon’s Pokémon – specifically Haxorus, who has always clung to him ever since she was a tiny washed-up Axew in the wild – and whether she can share the living space without stepping on any of their toes. They’re not like Yamper and Applin – they’re much more battle-hardened, fierce and are very used to monopolizing their trainer’s attention since up until now, he’s always lived alone.

Perhaps a part of it is being so far away from her grandparents, who have raised her ever since she was tiny. This’ll mark the first time she’s moving away from them without any intention of coming back home.

Then there’s the matter of the lab. She’s sure the space in the tower will be more than big enough for all of her work and then some, but that in itself will take getting used to and the fact that Leon’s dipping into his own pocket to fund her equipment being replaced still doesn’t quite sit right with her even though he insists that money isn’t an object (she doesn’t doubt that at least, as a trainer with a ridiculously high win streak, he must be raking it in on top of all the additional work he does running the Battle Tower as well as the league).

It’s a big change and change, while necessary and exciting, can also be scary.

Still, almost of her anxieties and concerns are washed to the wayside when she realizes that she’s _finally_ going to be able to spend every night (well, almost, if she ends up having to stay in hospital overnight when the twins are born) cuddling up to the man she loves without worrying about when the time comes for her to leave him. She also won’t have to worry about raising her daughters on her own because he’ll be there and he’s said he loves them so he won’t intentionally let any of them down. She’ll be able to drink him in every day while still doing the work she loves. Sure, living without her grandparents in a big city will take some getting used to… but the plus sides are likely well worth that. Plus Leon’s Pokémon will likely adjust too – they’re an adaptable lot, or so he claims.

So when the weekend after he asks her to move in rolls around and she makes the journey north with him to her permanent new home, she’s about as mentally prepared as she thinks she possibly can be for such an enormous step. Her grandparents both offer her a hug and a kiss, as well as a gentle reminder to visit them from time to time and to let them know when the twins have arrived safely. Yamper and Applin are recalled to their respective Poké Balls and she travels to the train station, where she spends the following three hours travelling with her essentials, the rest of her belongings having either been arranged to be brought up separately or sold.

When she arrives, Leon’s already waiting at Wyndon Station for her, where he embraces her with warm, enveloping arms before he guides her back to his flat – no, _their_ flat. It’s not what she always dreamed of when she was a little girl – she always dreamed of a countryside villa with three or four bedrooms and a good amount of land attached, but in this case she’s content with a sizeable two-bedroom flat. Maybe later on they can talk about moving somewhere bigger if it comes down to it, but this is all they need right now. He’s already willing to hear about her plans for the twins’ nursery – the larger of the two bedrooms which had previously been used as a spare room (which also housed some of Leon’s caps and his trophies).

 _Yes,_ she thinks with a smile on her face as she takes in her new home, _I think we can make this work._

* * *

“So what do you think?”

She’s not sure what to think. When the fuck did this man have the time to get so talented at painting and art? He’s always been so busy before, what with battling and running Battle Towers and Pokémon Leagues.

She probably should answer his question though, “It’s… good. _Really_ good, actually. I’ve got to admit, you surprised me again. I didn’t know you were so artistically talented.”

“I don’t know whether or not to be offended by that.”

She’s too busy taking in the finished nursery to even hear that quip. The walls were painted different colours – one pastel pink, another pastel blue, one a sweet sunshine yellow and the last a pale green. A rainbow has effortlessly been painted across the blue wall, sparking some vibrancy in an otherwise gently coloured room. On the pink wall is a large Rapidash sticker Leon says he’s found in one of the shops – he’d initially wanted a Charizard one for the nursery but the sticker in question was slightly more intimidating and when he’d phoned her to ask about it she’d turned it down on account of it not really fitting in with the aesthetic they were going for. It didn’t stop him from buying it and sticking it up in _their_ room though, the big kid. Pushed against the green wall at the back of the room are two cots. They’re no sheets on them yet and no decorative sides either (apparently decorative sides can be potentially risky and just hearing that is enough for her to reject them outright) but that’s fine, they’re still not due for another two to five weeks.

“So it’s a yes from you?” he asks again, and she turns to face him with a gentle smile, taking in his paint-spattered face. _How on earth is it possible to get paint on your nose like that?_

“Oh, it’s a _yes_ from me,” she remarks saucily, walking closer to him, curling her arms around his waist and resting her head against his chest, “In more ways than one.”

“It’s getting a bit too risky now for _that,_ isn’t it?” he asks her, his brow furrowed in concern, “I mean, didn’t your midwife say that sex can set things off?”

“To be honest, if they came out now I wouldn’t mind,” she groans, leaning back against the nursery door. At thirty six weeks she feels sluggish, heavy and incredibly uncomfortable.

She has to keep reminding herself that it’s only a week until she’s classed as full term and that’s when she’ll have to start frequently attending scans. She wants to give natural birth a go, if only to say that she’s done it, but she knows that all depends on how the twins are positioned. The idea of major surgery, while something she’ll accept if it comes down to it, isn’t exactly the most appealing thing in the world. She’s got a rough idea of what she’d like to happen, but at the same time, she knows she can’t get her hopes up – there are too many variables, too many things that can happen, especially with two babies.

“I’d still rather not,” he admits, his face guilty, “You don’t mind, do you?”

“I’ll live,” she grumbles, but she hopes that the small smile appearing on her lips will offer some reassurance that she isn’t actually resentful, “But if you change your mind you know where to find me.”

“I know.”

“Is there _anything_ I can do to change your mind?”  
  
“Sorry, but no. I do have _some_ self-control, you know.”

She lets out an exhausted sigh, leaning her head into his chest again and he gently rubs her back, “Urgh, fair enough. I’m just… so _fed up_. I feel like a _Wailord_.”

He grins awkwardly at that, “You’re a hell of a lot more attractive than a Wailord.”

“Nice of you to say so, but it doesn’t change anything,” she lets out another pained sigh, “Gran says I’m being impatient. That the longer they stay in the more time they have to develop so they’re less likely to have complications and I _get that_ but… nobody told me it would be _this_ uncomfortable.”

He makes an indecipherable noise in his throat but he doesn’t say anything. He probably doesn’t know what to say. He just holds her against him and strokes her hair. Truthfully, that’s what she really feels she needs right now – just to be held and reassured that she’s not a fat, sweaty and grotesque mess.

“Hop keeps asking if we’ve thought about names,” he eventually murmurs into her hair and she pulls away slightly in (admittedly pleasant) surprise. It was always going to be a matter of time before this ended up being discussed, though she always thought _she’d_ be the one broaching the subject given that up until before her kidnapping she couldn’t quite gauge how he was feeling about the pregnancy, as even in spite of him seeming to take interest there always seemed to be something holding him back before (which she now knows was his childhood memories of his own father).

“I’ve had ideas,” she begins after a moment of hesitant contemplation, “Mostly in line with a sort of theme that we’ve kind of got going.”

“What theme?” he raises an eyebrow, confused.

“Flowers. Plants. Things like that. Did you know that I was named after a type of flower? The Rosa Sonia, I think it was called.”

He shakes his head, “No. I… don’t admittedly think much into meanings of names.”

“Yeah, well, that’s what Gran told me I was named for. That, and she said it also means ‘wisdom’ in some parts of the world which I took as her way of saying she approved of it. But yeah, mum got the name from the flower primarily. My mum’s name was Poppy, my dad was Basil, my Gran’s Hazel. It’s kind of hard not to see it as a potential tradition at this point. As for you-”

He still looks confused, “My name has nothing to do with flowers or anything plant-related.”

“Maybe not, but your mum always used to call you dandelion, didn’t she?”

He runs a hand through his hair with an embarrassed chuckle, “She still does sometimes. As do you.”

“My point exactly. So I’ve been thinking of maybe sticking with that theme,” she pauses to take in his appearance and she’s a little bothered that she cannot seem to read what he might be thinking, “But if it’s a problem with you, then I don’t mind not going that route.”

“Why would it be a problem with me?” he asks with what seems like genuine astonishment, “I haven’t got a clue when it comes to things like this – it’s why I’ve never nicknamed any of my Pokémon. I mean, I’d _probably_ veto if it was something really stupid but I’m happy to give you most of the control here.”

“Luckily, I don’t come up with stupid names,” she quips, poking her tongue out at him, “But I’ll be glad to run them by you in case you’re not on board with any of my ideas.”

“Okay then, shoot.”

“What, _now?”_

“May as well. No time like the present.”

“Well,” she pauses hesitantly before she decides to come straight out with it, “one I’ve been thinking that I _really_ want to use, like more than any of the others, is Heather. It was… it was my mum’s middle name. I know I never really knew her but I just… I really want to use it, either as a middle name or a first name. Not necessarily _just_ to pay tribute but also because it’s a really nice name that I’ve always liked?”

“I get it. I’d be fine with that as a first name,” he shrugs, running his hands tenderly through her red locks, “And if it means that much to you, how can I say no?”

She grins widely, “Okay, and… well, other ones are a little harder to pin down. I like a lot of them. Lily, Lavender, Flora, Holly, Daisy, Alyssa, Violet… I can’t really pinpoint one I like more than the rest.”

He pauses, his free hand stroking his chin while he appears to be deep in thought, “I like Holly and Violet. Alyssa’s pretty nice too. To be honest, I thought you were about to say you wanted to name one of them Hazel, after your Gran.”

She wrinkles her nose, “I did think of that, but I’d rather not. She’s still around and I think I’d feel awkward calling for her if she and Gran are in the same place. Not to mention I don’t know how she’d feel about it either.”

“Fair enough,” he says with a sigh, “But what about as a middle name?”  
  
“I won’t object to Hazel as a middle name, I suppose. So… Violet, Alyssa or Holly then?”

“Yeah, they sound pretty good,” he nods with more enthusiasm than she thought he’d possibly ever have for this, “Though as for what one, I might end up leaving that to you if you don’t mind.”

“Thanks for helping me narrow it down,” she groans in exaggeration, “Mind, that’s four less names I have to worry about so it’s something, I guess.”

“It’s something,” he repeats with a nod, squeezing her gently against him while his hands find their way to her belly, stroking it tenderly, “Who’s surname are they taking?”  
  
“I was thinking either they have yours or we can double-barrel.”

“Would probably make sense if they have mine,” he says slowly, as if he’s trying to figure out how best to word what he wants to say – as if there’s a subtle hope or expectation he’s experiencing, “I mean, unless you _don’t_ want us to get married at some point?”

She can’t help but laugh at that – she’s not sure why, but given that everything has happened so _quickly_ for them, the whole idea initially sounds ridiculous (though having children together sounds equally ridiculous and that’s definitely happening) and she has to wonder if he’s joking. The slightly hurt look he gives her immediately puts things into perspective and her giggles subside, “You’re being _serious?”_

“Well _…_ yeah,” he says with an embarrassed shrug, “Why, did you think I was joking or something?”

“A little bit,” she mumbles guiltily, “I mean, I just kind of assumed that marriage wouldn’t be your thing. It’s a big commitment.”

“And having twins isn’t?”

“You know what I mean!”

“I really don’t.”

“I just… always thought you’d not want to be tied down by a piece of paper. Because, I mean, that’s all it really _is,_ right? Just a piece of paper and a name change if one of the partners wants to.”

He chews his lip, “Sounds like _you’re_ the one with reservations on marriage.”

“I’m not-” he takes a deep breath, trying to think about how to explain this without causing him any upset or offense, “I just… I’ve _finally_ gotten a name for myself as Professor Magnolia and… it’s the only thing that I feel still binds me to the family I never got to know. I just… don’t want to change my name. I’m sorry. It’s not you, I just-”

“I get it. You want to stay Sonia Magnolia.”

“Yes. Does that bother you?”  
  
“No, why would it?” he remarks, though he’s still giving her those Yamper eyes which suggests he’s probably still looking to persuade her on something. She doesn’t necessarily _mind_ getting married – heck, she’d _love_ to marry the man right in front of her at some point… just not now, and not if it means giving away such an important part of her, “I mean, we’re just talking hypothetically here, right?”  
  
“Yeah. Hypothetically.”  
  
“If…” he shifts on his feet awkwardly, “Would you be okay with getting married if you kept your last name?”

She doesn’t have to think as much on that one, “Probably, yeah,” she pauses, her eyes scanning his face and he looks so earnest and uncomfortable that it almost feels like a punch to the gut, “Is this… is this your way of asking me to marry you?”

“Kind of,” his hand jumps into his hair again, “I’m not _officially_ asking, mind. Just… wanted to know where you stood on it really.”

“So is this your way of saying you might ask me officially later?”  
  
He gives her an abashed grin, “Maybe.”

She pouts at him, “That kind of spoils the surprise, dandelion.”

“Not if you don’t know _when_ it’s coming.”

“You’re a pain in the arse, you know that?”  
  
“I know,” the embarrassment seems to effortlessly slide away and his expression turns into a cheeky one, “You love it.”

“Yeah…” she sighs in mock exasperation, pulling him closer to her again so she can rest her head against his chest and listen to his heart beating, “I guess I do.”

* * *

“So Oleana needs to be assessed by a mental health team before the trial?”  
  
“Yep,” Leon grumbles, flicking some of the leftover cake crumbs away from him, much to Sonia’s annoyance and Yamper’s delight, “Apparently, they think she might not have been of a sound mind when she kidnapped you and Marnie. I don’t know all the facts though.”

She pauses, chewing her lip, before she tentatively says what she knows they’re both thinking, “Which means she might not be going to prison.”

“No, not if they think she wasn’t all there,” he lets out a loud, almost angry sigh, one which makes her lean over and gently stroke the back of his hand, “If that’s agreed on, she’ll probably have to undergo treatment at hospital instead.”

“Kind of like a sectioning.”  
  
“A little bit, yeah. She’d have to stay in hospital for treatment, whatever that might be. ”

She inhales and exhales, trying to gather her thoughts. Granted, she still finds herself occasionally having awful dreams of her time (even as short as it was) in that cellar, of what might have happened to her and the twins if she hadn’t been rescued when she was. Even though counselling is definitely helping her to slowly move past what has happened, it doesn’t stop images of her twins, bloody and screaming, being ripped from her arms and taken away from her never to be seen again from passing through her mind. Just the thought of it makes her free hand jump to her belly, and the nudge she feels in return reassures her enough to think a little more logically.

She somewhat understands the decision though. Oleana, from what she had seen and heard from her on that one occasion, has experienced a lot. She doesn’t really know the woman, but she certainly didn’t come across as someone with a completely healthy mind. Heck, when she thinks about it, she has to wonder how much of her whole scheme was well thought out at all, because she didn’t seem to have a long-term plan. All she can definitely think for certain is that she hopes Rose is happy – turns out being a shitty father figure doesn’t always have to include blatant abuse. Even partial ghosting on its own by someone who matters to you can etch a painful scar on a person.

Eventually she feels like she’s able to speak, “I… wouldn’t mind if that was the case.”

He glances up at her and his expression is unreadable, “Really? Even after all she put you through?”

“Yeah, I mean…” she takes a second to compose herself, “I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to forgive her or not, but… I don’t know. She didn’t seem right, in that cellar. The impression that I got was that she’s spent so long keeping a lid on things and never expressing how she feels that she snapped. I mean, it’s possible that everything she did _was_ all spur of the moment because she didn’t seem to have any sort of long-term plan. Maybe she just _kept_ snapping, over and over, and every time she just ended up taking some sort of bad action that just kept things escalating.”

He looks down at her hand on his and hesitates for a moment before he begins to mumble something. Sonia has to ask him to repeat it.

“When I left her with Hop and Gloria… she was… I don’t know, kind of talking to herself?” he tenses slightly, before seeming to force himself to meet her eyes, “She was relentlessly tearing herself down. Calling herself stupid. After I left Hop said she kept saying that she was evil and that we should lock her up and throw away the key. Practically ripping her hair out. No apologies, mind, just… rambling about how stupid she was. The thing that got me though, was that she was saying these things from a third person perspective. Like she was speaking from what she thought _his_ perspective might have been.”

Sonia falls silent. She doesn’t know what to say to that. Leon lets out another loud exhale before twisting his hand upright and squeezing hers back, “I’m not going to lie, I don’t think I’d be _entirely_ happy with that outcome… but I think that’s what is going to happen and I think I can make my peace with it. She clearly needs _some_ kind of help. I don’t think prison is going to give her that. But at the same time… I don’t know. I worry about you.”

“What for?” she regards him softly and he squeezes her hand again.

“I just… let’s say she gets the help she needs, gets medication or therapy or whatever it is she needs and she is let back into society? Will you feel safe?”

She glances at him in understanding – it’s not just that he’s worried about her not _feeling_ safe, he’s worried about her potential safety in the future himself, “I think so. I mean, I’m with you now. We’re not living on opposite sides of Galar any more. I’ve also been training with Yamper and Applin, just in case something similar happens in the future. Can’t be too careful. I think…” she chews her lip, “Yamper tried to give me back his Everstone not long after, you know, _it_ happened. Just pushed it into my hand with his nose and gave me this look. He keeps doing it even now. As if to say he’s ready to evolve. And you know if _he_ evolves, Applin will definitely want to as well.”

That gets a small laugh out of him, “Grookey see, Grookey do.”

“Exactly,” she gasps out a giggle of her own, “But… it’s not just about me any more. I think Yamper wants to protect the twins. He’s always hanging around me now, like he wants to protect me.”

“I’ve noticed,” Leon grumbles and Sonia has to fight back another giggle – of course he’s noticed. It’s hard _not_ to when Yamper deliberately crawls between the two of them in bed at night, pressing himself up against her belly while gazing towards their bedroom door and completely ignoring his trainer’s blatantly clear desires to cuddle her human partner.

“But… yeah, back to your original point, no. I don’t think I’d be worried. If anything,” she bites her lip again, “I think it might be good for her. Prison… prison probably won’t help her. And that’s what she needs most right now, I think. Help.”

He regards her softly, “You’re too good for this world, you know that?”

She gives him a cheeky smile, “Oh, I know that now. I have people like you to remind me.”

He leans back, one of his hands reaching around to scratch the back of his neck, “Piers isn’t happy at all apparently.”

“I… can’ t say I’m surprised about that,” she replies, pulling her hand away to tuck some loose strands of hair behind her ear. Of all of them, Piers was the one who seemed to find it hardest to forgive or try to understand why she did what she did. It’s a little strange, given Raihan has told them that the singer has his own difficulties with mental health, but she supposes he also has a right to be angry. Oleana took his little sister – one of only two people in the world (discounting his Pokémon of course) that Piers seems to genuinely have love in his heart for – and kept her locked in that cellar in a physically weakened state, “What about Raihan and Marnie?”

“From what I’ve heard, Marnie’s still angry but she’s kind of drifting into the same mindset as you. I mean, she was in there as well so she’s seen everything you saw. And Raihan… well, from what it sounded like when I talked to him the other day, he gets why this is happening. But he’s kind of like me. You know, on the fence about it. I think more than anything he’s just worried about Piers’ and his mental well-being. He took Marnie’s disappearance really badly. From what it sounds like, he blames himself for it happening to begin with.”

She frowns, “Why?”

“I don’t know the exact reason,” he glances down at the table at their intertwined hands again, “But Raihan said he thinks it stems from that argument Piers and Marnie had before she stormed off – he probably thinks if they hadn’t argued she wouldn’t have left and put herself in such a vulnerable position. Apparently he’s had to move his appointments with his regular counsellor forward and… from what I’ve been told, he’s agreeing to give cognitive behavioural therapy a go. Something about bad habits he needs to break, but again I don’t know what that’s all about. I didn’t want to ask and put Rai in an uncomfortable position.”

“That’s fair enough. Poor bloke.”  
  
“Yeah. I can see his point,” Leon licks his lips and his hand squeezes hers again, and it almost feels needy, like he wants to be reassured of something, “I… feel bad too. If I had been around I could have kept you safe.”

“You couldn’t just abandon your home and work,” she whispers tenderly.

“You and the twins are more important than those things and I _knew_ that but I didn’t want to- I wasn’t sure if I _should_ -”

“It’s _okay,”_ she smiles at him, lifting his hand and pressing a soft kiss to his knuckles, “None of this was your fault. It was just… one of those things, I guess. But we’re okay now. We’re both getting help, Piers is getting additional help, Marnie seems to be doing okay from what I’ve heard and hopefully … hopefully _she’ll_ get the help she desperately needs too.”

He leans forward, twisting his hand so he’s now holding hers, and he kisses the tips of her fingers, “Hopefully.”

* * *

Sonia slumps into bed, her feet seeming immediately grateful for the removal of the weight on them. She’s nearly thirty eight weeks pregnant though and has spent most of today dealing with the occasional false contraction, so that’s no surprise. It doesn’t help that today’s also just been all around busy – a scan at the hospital along with another attempt to persuade her into at least having an induction, which she refused after a little deliberation. Gran has said that the longer they spend inside of her the better developed they’ll be when they come out, but she’d be lying if she didn’t admit that the idea of things potentially getting ‘more dangerous’, as the obstetrician had described it, is less than appealing to her.

She’s going with her gut though, as much as she can. Maybe if they’ve not made an appearance by next week she’ll gladly accept a sweep or something, just to nudge things along. They’re both in a head down position, so that slightly decreases her risk of needing a caesarean. At least that’s something.

She’s nervous, that much is for certain. She’s heard how painful labour is and she wouldn’t say she’s exactly got a high threshold for pain. That and given that with twins it could go any way… well, she’s glad she’s having them at Wyndon Hospital, which is highly regarded in the maternity department. She’s agreed to having an epidural as soon as she possibly can (a recommendation by the midwife based on the fact that she’s got two babies to deliver and in the event of a complication having one in place could save necessary time) and she’s got her bag all packed (in fact it’s been packed long before she even moved in with Leon) so she’s definitely as prepared as she’s going to get.

She wiggles her feet slightly, glancing over at the door as Leon emerges from his evening shower, towel draped over his broad shoulders while his long violet hair drips with water. Her lips curve upwards at the sight, “Hey, sexy.”

“That’s not going to _work,”_ he remarks in a teasing sing-song tone which makes her poke her tongue out at him in reply.

“Had to try,” she sighs in mock defeat, “Just… ready for them to come the fuck out now.”

“You _could’ve_ accepted that induction.” 

“I really don’t _want_ to be induced though. Not if it’s not _necessary._ ”

He lets out a sigh of mock exasperation, “Well then _…_ not much else I can say. It’ll happen soon I think, what with all the curry you’ve been eating lately. Just be more patient.”

“Easy for you to say that, _you_ can still see your feet!”

“If it makes you feel better, your feet don’t look that bad.”

“Thanks, I guess.”

“You’re welcome,” he leans over and gently pecks her lips while Yamper, much to Leon’s annoyance, takes up his usual spot by Sonia’s belly, “Other than that are you okay? Not too angry with me?”  
  
“No,” she groans, “Just fed up with waiting.”

“Fingers crossed it’ll be any day now,” he replies while stroking some stray strands of red hair out of her face and she can’t help but feel happy to see him looking so comfortable and positive about this, when at the beginning he couldn’t have been more unsure and nervous.

The bed’s starting to feel wet, especially around near the pillows so she gives him a shove, “Go and dry your bloody hair, dandelion. I don’t want to be sleeping in a wet bed.”

 _“Fine,”_ he whines, though he gets up again with a cheeky grin and she takes the time to just watch him, enjoying how violet strands of hair seem to fly in multiple directions when the hair dryer blows against them, and she has to fight the urge to lean over and run her hands through those locks herself. When he’s done he curls up into bed next to her, observing the clock just turning 9PM. Yamper seems to be tense up slightly.

“What’s wrong, toerag?” she murmurs fondly, stroking his back.

He nudges his head into her belly.

“They’re fine, sweetheart,” she giggles, “No need to worry.”

He nudges her belly again, looking at her with a stern expression (or as stern as a Yamper can possibly get anyway), “I’m fine sweetie,” she tries to reassure him again as she shifts her position, hand grabbing her back slightly – to be fair she _is_ quite sore and the coming and going false labour contractions haven’t been helping her. She’s made sure to try and time the contractions over the course of the day and every time it was erratic, around half an hour or so apart each time. Sometimes they stopped altogether. It’s only in the last hour or so that things have gotten a little bit more annoying – she chalks it up to it being night time. She doesn’t quite know why, but every little discomfort seems to be worse when the evening rolls around.

 _Maybe he senses I’m uncomfortable._ She decides to try and distract him, “Where’s Applin, Yamper?”

He tilts his head towards the door but otherwise stays put.

“Do you want me to go and get him?”

“I’ll get him if you want,” Leon murmurs as he sits on the bed, continuing to brush his hair now that the hair dryer’s done its work.

“No, I’ll do it. I need a drink anyway.”

As she gets up she feels moisture dripping down her leg and her cheeks seem to heat. She assumes it’s sweat (it is still a tad hot following their dinner) and continues to the living room, finding Applin curled up on the sofa snoring away. She leaves him for now, grabbing some water in a glass and downing it in one go. She then returns and scoops her little dragon up, trying not to take his irritated trill to heart, “Want to come and join us? You may as well. I think Yamper could use someone to keep him from worrying over nothing.”

Applin doesn’t trill again at that, only fixes her with a wide-eyed expression. She rolls her eyes, “You as well? What’s gotten into you two?”

Before she can even begin to turn back to the room, she suddenly feels a pain, sharper than the dull ones that have been bothering her on and off most of the day (heck, most of yesterday too now that she thinks about it) prior to this point. She keels forward, causing Applin to leap out of her arms back onto the sofa, squeaking loudly out of concern as she clutches her stomach. _Where the hell did **that** come from? _

The moisture trickling down her legs now seems to be coming faster, like a full on flood is attempting to break free from her. She tries to squeeze her pelvic walls together but nothing seems to stop it, the water just keeps flowing as if she’s not doing anything at all and within a moment she feels another sharp pain strike her insides which makes her grit her teeth and hiss. Applin’s squeaks grow louder and more alarmed.

_Oh Arceus. Oh my fucking Arceus. I think this is it._

“LEON!”

He comes charging into the room at once, still topless and some of his hair still tangled. Once he sees her standing in the centre of his living room, keeled over in pain and water now practically gushing from between her legs he seems to do the maths in his head. His face turns white.

“Shit. Right, um… I’ll call a taxi!”

The only reply she’s able to give him as he darts off to find his phone is a pained yell.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kind of filler stuff here, but we're almost ready to meet the twins! Thanks again!


	28. Deliverance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “She’s having the babies, Hax. I don’t know if you quite understand what that means for her, but I’m guessing it’s really hurting her a lot. Sometimes when you’re in pain, you lash out, and that’s okay.”
> 
> “Of course it fucking hurts!” Sonia yelps angrily, still keeled over as she tries to fight tears from falling down her cheeks.

“How long have you been having these pains for?” Leon asks Sonia once he’s made arrangements for an immediate Flying Taxi (and they’ve informed him they’ve found a rider that isn’t picky about a labouring woman leaking amniotic fluid all over their taxi’s seats). Granted, he had to name-drop again to make that happen, but still, it’s a sacrifice he’s willing to make.

She bites her lip, leaning forward while sitting on the floor, still clutching her belly. After a moment she finally replies, “On and off all day.”

 _“Sonia,”_ he groans, “Why didn’t you _say_ anything?”  
  
“I thought they were just more false contractions!” she cries, “There was no consistency or anything, no sign of them getting closer together so I didn’t think it was the real thing!”

He pulls his shirt over his head quickly, “Well, look on the bright side. At least you know they’re definitely coming now. You’ll be able to see your feet again soon.”

“Oh, _shut up!_ I’m not in the mood for shitty jokes!” she snaps as she seems to be hit by another wave of pain. Yamper is hovering around her anxiously, almost standing between her and everything else that could potentially pose a threat. Leon can’t help but wonder if Yamper was also deeply affected by everything that happened with his trainer’s kidnapping, as he’s been a lot clingier to her since that whole thing happened.

As if to make the situation worse, one of his Ultra Balls, which is sitting on the side, shakes and bursts open suddenly, blinding them both with a flash of red light before revealing itself to be Haxorus.

_Great. Last thing we need right now._

He moves over to the dragon, placing his hands on her scaly arms as she growls in Sonia’s direction – presumably she’s heard her tell him to shut up and now seems to want to take that as an invitation to defend him, while Yamper growls back in her direction with his fur standing on end, the fact that Haxorus is a huge battle-hardened dragon not seeming to deter him. Leon supposes it’s difficult for Pokémon to understand quite what a human woman in labour must go through – they lay eggs, after all. He has to wonder if laying eggs hurts Pokémon as much as this is hurting Sonia right now.

“Not now Hax,” he tells her firmly, “She doesn’t mean anything bad by it. She’s just in a lot of pain.”

The dragon lets out another roar, her claws poised, but he stands firm, “She’s having babies, Hax. I don’t know if you quite understand what that means for her, but I’m guessing it’s really hurting her a lot. Sometimes when you’re in pain, you lash out, and that’s okay.”

“Of course it’s fucking hurting!” Sonia yelps angrily, still keeled over as she tries to fight tears from falling down her cheeks.

Haxorus still growls, but they’re quieter and low in her throat, as if she’s slowly coming around. In that moment, Leon has to bite back another groan as all of his remaining Ultra Balls suddenly burst open in succession and he’s now being squashed into a corner while his Pokémon are glancing around the room anxiously, first at Sonia, then at him and Haxorus.

_It looks like I’ll need to explain this to them too._

“Guys, no need to panic,” he tells them, though his furiously racing heart is probably giving off the opposite atmosphere to the calm he needs them to feel, “Sonia’s having the babies. It’s… it’s nothing you need to worry about. We’re going to go to the hospital so she can have them safely, okay? Just… please get back into your balls before the neighbours complain the ceiling’s creaking again?”

Seismitoad obeys and returns immediately, finding his ball on the side and nudging it with a slimy hand. It seems like he only came out because everyone else did. He certainly looks tired as he heads back to his personal sanctuary, letting out a yawn in the process. Mr. Rime lets out a loud eager cry and moves to hug Sonia but a pointed glance from Leon quickly puts paid to that idea and the ice type ends up skipping over to his own ball and, after an excited wave, vanishes in a quick flash of light. Aegislash hovers over Sonia’s head, regarding her curiously before he settles into the corner, seeming to refuse his trainer's orders until Leon fixes him with a hard stare. Dragapult chases his two overly excited Dreepy down before bowing his head to Leon apologetically and doing as he's told.

Now it’s just Charizard and Haxorus. He’s surprised by Charizard as he’s usually the most obedient of all of his Pokémon but this time he stays put. He’s eyeing Haxorus sternly, thin scaly arms folded across his bulky body. But before Leon can say anything, Charizard manoeuvres around the two of them towards Sonia, who’s still sobbing and tensing in rotation, depending on when a contraction seems to be hitting her or not. The fire type lowers his head towards her, ignoring Yamper’s furious barking and the sparks of electricity that seems to be prickling on the tips of the puppy’s fur, and gently nuzzles her back, moving his head up and down in a slow rhythm. Even Sonia, despite her pain, seems to be surprised. It’s the first time any of Leon’s Pokémon has openly shown her such affection.

“You’re so _warm,”_ Sonia murmurs, her most recent contraction seeming to have ended, “That… that’s actually helping a bit. T-thanks.”

Charizard lets out a soft growl in reply as he continues nuzzling her just enough for her to take in his heat and take a little bit of the edge off. It won’t stop the pain, none of them are naïve enough to assume that, but if it helps her cope until the taxi gets here they’ll gladly take it. Haxorus watches Charizard with narrowed eyes, before pulling away from Leon and snorting. She settles herself on the floor and he can’t help but wince – her sharp scales are going to scratch up his floor something rotten and he only recently had to replace the flooring from last time. But he can’t worry about that now.

He leans towards Charizard first, patting the back of his neck, “Good thinking, Charizard. Thanks, mate.”

Haxorus whines behind him sadly and he turns to face her again, “It’s fine, Hax. Just… be nice, okay? Those babies – _my daughters_ – are important to me, and so is Sonia. I’m going to need you all to be good and help chip in with looking after them all, alright?”

She lets out a smaller, more pitiful whine which makes him smile and lean over to pat her, “You’re still my baby too, don’t worry.”

That seems to calm her as she glances at Sonia and lowers her head – perhaps her attempt at an apology. Sonia can only nod in reply before she winces, another contraction hitting, “Where’s that fucking _taxi?!”_

The doorbell rings.

“Right here by the sounds of it. Come on, let’s go. Charizard, I want you to come with me just in case. Hax, can you keep an eye on things here?”

The Pokémon roars eagerly in agreement.

* * *

It doesn’t take them that long to get to the hospital, thank goodness. The last thing Sonia wants is to end up delivering the twins at home or, heaven forbid, in the Flying Taxi. She probably manages to apologize to the pilot for leaking all over the seats several hundred times through gritted teeth in the short trip and a quick call to the hospital to inform them she’s coming doesn’t do much to slow her down on that front.

Arceus she’s _never_ felt pain like this before.

She remembers skinning her knees as a child, bashing her head against her bed’s headboard because she misjudged her positioning when she collapsed backwards from a standing position, having a tooth removed when she was fifteen because her mouth was overcrowded only for it to crumble in the dentist’s extraction equipment… _none_ of those things hurt more than this. If she could compare it to anything, it’s like her stomach is _on fire_ and it feels like her womb is attempting to rip itself wide open. She hopes amidst all of this that the twins are okay. She’ll find out for certain soon enough.

She’s also surprised at how well Leon seems to be handling the situation, despite the fact that he looks like he’s on the verge of fainting because of how pale he is. He still manages to give her hand a squeeze though when she needs it and she’s relieved that even in spite of how tightly she’s gripping his hand when a contraction hits that he doesn’t let her go, though she catches him wincing a couple of times out of the corner of her eye, probably because her nails are digging into his skin and she hasn’t exactly trimmed them in a while.

She apologizes to him too but he only shakes his head at her and assures her he’s fine before planting a kiss against her sweaty forehead.

Thank Arceus the hospital recommended she have an epidural right off the bat.

When they arrive, she ends up leading the way to the maternity unit in spite of her constantly stopping in order to focus on breathing her way through her contractions – she can hardly count on Leon to guide them there after all, not when he always finds himself lost even _with_ signs and maps. She remembers what clinic she was told to go to though and with the help of the signs they eventually get there. She also ends up apologizing to anybody nearby who’s had to witness her leaking all over the floor like a bloated Kangaskhan with a full bladder.

The receptionist that greets her guides her into a room after a brief exchange of details and promises that somebody will be with her as soon as they become available. As someone experiencing a multiple pregnancy, she’s pretty high priority but that doesn’t mean that other women here will be dropped for her, which is fair enough. Leon sits on the chair next to the elevating bed she tries to settle on, giving her hand another squeeze while she forces her eyes shut, trying to focus strictly on breathing as that stabbing pain hits again, and holy fuck she is _never_ doing this again…

Eventually a midwife arrives – an older woman with greying hair and sharp blue eyes named Hope – and after answering a number of questions including the timing of her contractions and whether or not she’s had a show, she checks to see how dilated she is and informs her that she’s already at seven centimetres – the beginning of the transitional phase which is arguably the most painful part of the first stage of labour. She certainly cannot argue with that based on her current experience. The woman gestures her towards the gas and air and Sonia immediately starts inhaling the stuff like it’s the only oxygen she has left. It makes her feel light-headed, but it doesn't take away much of the pain to her dismay.

A second midwife appears during this time – a younger dark haired lady with chocolate coloured eyes named Eleanor – who after a harried introduction sets about applying belts around her belly which have sensors attached – presumably to check on the well-being of the twins. Once Sonia hears their heartbeats she breathes a short sigh of relief before another contraction hits and all she can think of is how much she wishes the obstetrician would hurry the fuck up and get her an epidural.

After a while he finally makes an appearance – a balding bespectacled middle-aged man (who Leon tenses up at the sight of) named Dr. Williams. Thankfully she doesn’t need to persuade him of her need for the pain relief – because she’s a multiple pregnancy they like to offer them in case of potential complications later on – if she ends up needing a caesarean they can just wheel her straight on down. He’s quick to warn her though that it’ll take about fifteen to twenty minutes for the pain to completely stop and while she hates that she still has to wait, at least she can see an end in sight because she’s really not coping well at all.

She’s glad Nessa isn’t here to see this. When she’d told her of her decided birth plans she’d wrinkled her nose. Started expressing concerns about risks that come with even having an epidural, including the incredibly small chance that it could cause paralysis. Luckily Sonia’s scientifically minded enough to know that the chances of that happening are so small that the risk of not having one in her case significantly outweighed the risk of having one. The midwives also insert a drip into her arm as well when she accepts their offer of one – apparently it might be necessary to restart contractions once the first baby is born, and given how fast her heart is hammering, it might be helpful to get some fluids in her anyway.

Finally when the pain seems to ease, she lets out a sigh of relief, glancing over at Leon who still looks pale even though they’re in the best place they could possibly be. Dr. Williams gracefully leaves the room to tend to another patient, Eleanor following behind him, leaving only the older midwife Hope behind, who spends a little time perusing through Sonia’s pregnancy notes. Eventually she turns to her, a warm smile on her face, “I was wondering if I could have permission to attach a clip to your first baby’s head? We might need a more accurate measure of the heartbeat.”

“Is something wrong?”  
  
“No, my dear, this is something we like to offer to women who are delivering multiple babies.”

“Oh… will it hurt them?”  
  
“No. It might leave a small scab or scratch on the top of the head but that’s about it.”

“There’s no risk to Sonia is there?” Leon pipes up, resting a firm but gentle hand on her lower arm. He looks almost ill.

“None at all,” Hope smiles, “You shouldn’t feel a thing at all with the epidural in place.”

“Right. Um, okay, go ahead.”

She sets about doing just that, and it doesn’t end up taking very long, though she does notice Leon out of the corner of her eye pointedly looking anywhere but at her privates while Hope’s fingers were up inside of her applying the clip. Once she’s done she smiles at the pair and points them towards a buzzer on the side of the bed, informing them that she’ll be back to check in on them as frequently as she possibly can. With that, she leaves swiftly, presumably to check on somebody else. Sonia marvels at how busy the woman seems to be – she doubts she could manage to do something like this – raising new Pokémon for upcoming trainers is hard enough.

Now they’re alone, she feels Leon’s fingers slide down the rest of her arm and tightly wrap around her hand. When she looks up at him, he looks skittish and worried, “Are you alright now?”

“Yeah,” she sighs tiredly – even for just that short amount of time in pain, she feels utterly exhausted, like she’s personally gone a round against a Pangoro (and she has a vague memory of doing something like that when training in the gym challenge all those years ago), “I’m… sorry. I should’ve said something earlier. I just didn’t want to worry you.”

“You’re rightfully quick to moan at me for keeping things from you.”

“I know, I just… I really _didn’t_ think it was the real thing and-”

“It’s fine,” he murmurs, running a gentle hand through her hair, “You just had me worried. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in that much pain.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever _been_ in so much pain,” she remarks wearily.

“I’m sorry.”

“Don’t start that again.”

“Sorry,” he grins sheepishly. She rolls her eyes at him in exasperation and he chuckles, “Still, at least they’ll be here soon, I guess.”

“How are _you_ feeling?” she asks suddenly and he shrugs.

“Fine now, I think. Worried about you and them, though that’s a given. But I know you’re tough and that you’ve got this so-”

“You’re not worried about me having a male doctor?”  
  
He flinches slightly, “No, it’s fine. I… I get it. He’s just doing his job. It’s just… I suppose I always thought that I’d be the only bloke to see you down there and- well, that’s a stupid assumption, isn’t it?”

She isn’t going to lie to him – she nods, “Stupid and kind of possessive.”

“Yeah, sorry about that.”

She smiles wistfully, sensing that he has more concerns than he’s letting on but feeling unsure if she should push the matter, “You’re forgiven. Is… is there anything else you’re worried about?”

He grins at her sadly, giving her hand another gentle squeeze, “I’m doing alright. Don’t worry about me. Worry about yourself and our girls.”

_He's trying not to worry me again. Maybe I should- but at the same time, he might be right about needing to focus on the girls. We can always talk about it later, when he’s feeling more up to talking.  
_

She smiles softly at him, “Well, when you’re ready to talk, I can still listen.”

“I know.”

She can only help him so much in certain matters after all. Especially when she's so close to meeting her daughters.

* * *

The midwives pop in and out of the room frequently to check on the twins heartbeat and Sonia’s drip, as well as to make a note of how dilated she is. The transitional phase is progressing surprisingly consistently, which both of them are nothing but grateful about.

Leon ends up disappearing for a brief period to call his family and Sonia’s grandparents to let them know what’s happening. She makes sure to tell him to inform everyone that there’s no need to catch a train to Wyndon on their account – knowing her, she’ll likely be too tired to want any visitors. She’s been reading all sorts of horror stories online from various women who’ve ended up with overbearing family members and in-laws turning up at the hospital when they’ve barely just gave birth and they’ve felt nothing less than shattered. One story she said she’d read, the poor woman’s mother turned up as she was being wheeled in for a caesarean expecting to be let in! _Fuck that._

Leon also calls Nessa and Raihan during that time – he’d initially made plans to pop down to Hammerlocke for a quick match with his rival (to de-stress) after Sonia had persuaded him that she would be fine for a day but that won’t be happening now. It’s fine though, he’s perfectly okay with waiting for that. Sonia and the twins are more important right now. Truth be told, he _was_ a bit anxious about leaving her on her own anyway, what with everything that’s happened as well as the fact that she was due any day.

Once that’s done he nips down to the hospital shop to buy a couple of meal deals – he’s not sure if Sonia is allowed to eat while she’s in labour, but she’ll probably want something after everything is done. He’s no expert in the subject, but he reckons she’ll be knackered – more than she is now, and maybe some food will help her regain some of that lost energy. That and the brief time away from her gives him a moment to get his head together and really focus on the here and now because that voice is at the back of his head again, nitpicking and trying to tear him down. _Ignore it. He doesn’t know anything._

Every time he thinks he’s on top of it, thinks he’s come to terms and risen above those self-doubts, that voice comes back to try and shatter his progress. It’s a constant battle – his therapist did tell him that may well end up being the case for him – but he’s come so _far,_ and he _can’t_ allow those doubts to take hold, not now. Not when his daughters are being born and not when Sonia needs him to step up and support her.

_Trust me when I say that you are going to be an **amazing** daddy to our girls. I mean, aside from directions you’re amazing at pretty much everything else, so why should this be any different? _

He makes it a habit to remember Sonia saying those words every time he starts feeling those doubts. She’s known him for so long, longer than his own father has known him, and he trusts her more than anybody else in the world, except maybe his mum, brother and perhaps Raihan. If she can consistently have so much faith in him, can say so much positive about him, then there has to be a good reason for it.

With that, he takes a deep breath and heads back towards the maternity unit. Hopefully it won’t take him as long to find it as it did to find the shop.

* * *

“So I’m ready to go?” Sonia asks, her heart pounding fiercely in her chest as the midwife Hope looks at her with a wide, eager smile.

“Yes, you’re definitely ten centimetres.”

She frowns, “This is… weird. I don’t really feel anything.”

“The power of the epidural,” Eleanor says brightly from the other side of the room, having just finished making a call out to Dr. Williams. She’s also requested at least two paediatricians to be on standby which Sonia supposes is probably standard for twin births. She’s done a little research into what to expect, but it doesn’t make things any less imposing or surprising. More than anything else, she’s frustrated that Leon isn’t back yet.

“Where _is_ he?” she growls under her breath, feeling a sense of panic rise in her. _I need him here for this. It doesn’t take **that** long to call our families does it? Urgh, he’s probably gotten lost again._

“Is it…” she swallows, because she’s sure this is not a part of their job description but she feels she has to ask, “Is it possible for someone to go and find him? He probably wandered too far or something and can’t find his way back…”

Eleanor looks at her and giggles, “I read on his trainer card that he’s bad with directions but I didn’t believe that was a _legit_ thing with him.”  
  
Hope raises an eyebrow and nods in agreement with her colleague, “I always just thought that was just something the League put out there to make him seem more endearing and human.”

“Oh no,” Sonia rolls her eyes in exaggeration, “He’s _really_ that bad. The stories I could tell you from when we were kids…”

Eleanor giggles again, “Now that’d be something to hear. The ex-Champ as a kid… I wonder what he was like back then?”

“As much of a pain in the arse as he is today,” Sonia grumbles affectionately, running a hand through her now very sweat-riddled hair, “I still love him though. I hate to ask, but-”

“We’ll send out a search party,” Hope remarks fondly, moving away to make an announcement over her walkie talkie. The whole thing seems so ridiculous to Sonia, like she’s trying to track down a lost child rather than a grown man, but in Leon’s case… well, it’s probably necessary at this point. She’s admittedly a little concerned about him as well as feeling exasperated.

“Right, while we’re waiting for him to show up, I need you to listen to us, okay?” Eleanor says, moving over to her side, “You’re ready to go, but with the epidural in place you might not feel any contractions or much if any urge to push, so you’ll need to rely on us to tell you when the right time to push is.”

“So when you tell me to push-?”

“You push. When we ask you to stop, you stop. Does that sound okay?”  
  
“Sounds good to me.” _Where the fuck **are** you, Leon? I want you **here.** _

“Okay, so we’ll start on your next contraction, is that okay?”  
  
She hesitates, “Leon-”

“Is on his way,” Hope says with a smile as she looks up from her walkie talkie, “He’s on the same floor as us apparently, one of the staff members from the midwife-led unit has already found him and is guiding him to our unit. One of our colleagues will greet him and bring him back here.”

“I’m sorry,” Sonia apologizes, her cheeks heating slightly, “It’s like dealing with a child sometimes, I swear.”

“Don’t worry about it, I think it’s quite endearing, really.”  
  
_It is when you’re not about to give birth to his children and you don't really need him there to stop you from shitting bricks._ She knows she’s probably being unfair, but of all the times for him to get lost, why _now?_

“Right… push…”

She doesn’t have time to worry about Leon. She tenses, squeezing her pelvic muscles together as best as she can, leaning forward to press her chin against her chest. There’s no pain – that much she’s still grateful for (surely this part of the labour process must be incredibly painful if what she experienced before is any indication) but in a way she also wishes she had _some_ sort of physical feedback to know where she is in this process. Maybe a little pressure. But that’s not an option for her now so she has to put her faith in her midwives.

Dr. Williams arrives at the door with a wide smile, “I have a delivery for you.”

“Hi Sonia,” Leon’s standing behind him, looking very sheepish and holding up a paper bag, “I… bought you some food.”  
  
“And stop.”

“Do you really think I’m going to be able to eat _anything_ right now?” she immediately snaps as soon as she stops pushing, “I thought you were only going to call our families!”

He hurries to her side, having the good grace to look guilty, “I know, but then I remembered I needed to call Raihan to let him know I couldn’t make tomorrow, and then I called Nessa too because it didn’t seem fair to call one godparent and not the other, and _then_ I thought you might be hungry when all this is done so I-”

“Okay, push…”

Sonia leans forward to push again, her face straining as she blurts out, “But I needed you _here!”_

“I’m sorry.”  
  
“To be fair, it _is_ a good idea to have food on hand for afterwards,” Hope tells her gently, “There will be blood loss. I had a lady once go to the toilet not long after giving birth. She’d lost quite a fair amount of blood and hadn’t eaten. Poor woman nearly fainted.”

“And stop.”

“Why can’t she just keep pushing?” Leon asks with a confused frown.

“If she pushes all the time, it increases the risk of tearing, among other complications. It’ll also tire her out quicker, meaning she’s more likely to require intervention.”

Sonia winces. She doesn’t like the sound of that. Leon doesn’t question it any further, instead leaning in closer to her and kissing her sweaty forehead, “I’m sorry for not being here.”

“Fine, you’re forgiven,” she groans as Eleanor encourages her to push again and she grips Leon’s hand tightly and squeezes her eyes shut.

“You’re doing really well,” he whispers to her as she silently pushes her body into doing what it’s supposed to, “I’m… really proud of you.”

“I’m proud of you too,” she remarks as soon as Eleanor signals for her to stop, “Are you alright now?”  
  
“What do you mean?” he asks with a frown.  
  
“You needed to step away, didn’t you? Take a moment for yourself?”

He pauses, embarrassed because he’s not too keen on mentioning this in front of other people but eventually he sighs and nods, “Yeah. Don’t worry though. I’m feeling a good bit better now.”

“I guessed as much,” she rolls her eyes before she pushes again.

“How long will this take?” Leon asks and the midwives explain that there’s no way of knowing for sure. All the while he’s gazing over Sonia with concern and she can’t blame him. She might not be in any pain thanks to the epidural but she is exhausted and very uncomfortable. It honestly feels like this isn’t going to end any time soon and she’s not a particularly patient person so it’s mentally killing her. She wants to meet her daughters.

_Holy shit, I’m going to meet my daughters._

“Right, I can see the head,” Dr. Williams tells her after quite a significant amount of time has passed and she’s surprised to see Leon glancing down at him, not with a glare but with genuine surprise and… is that _excitement_ she sees on his face mixed in with the nerves? Her heart warms, “Keep up the good work.”

“Baby number one is nearly here!” Eleanor squeals excitedly, “Where _are_ those paediatricians?”

“Literally on their way right now,” Hope replies, putting her walkie talkie away again as Sonia pushes again on command, finding herself spurred on knowing that she’s _so_ close, “Does Daddy want to take a look?” 

“I wouldn’t,” Sonia grunts, “He’s not the biggest fan of blood or anything gory.”

“She’s not wrong,” he agrees, blushing furiously, “I… probably won’t cut any of the cords either, if that’s alright with you.”

“That’s fine,” Hope responds warmly as Dr. Williams prepares to catch the infant on the verge of entering the world. Eleanor gently urges Sonia to keep pushing and Dr. Williams starts to join in with those verbal commands, informing her that the head was now out. She barely notices two other doctors enter the room (presumably the paediatricians) who regard her with warm smiles before they approach Dr. Williams in preparation to take the baby from him.

After a quick break, Sonia is urged to push again and with every last ounce of energy she has she pushes, squeezing her abdominal muscles until she finally hears Dr. Williams remark, “That’s it! Baby number one’s a female, born at 11.55pm.”

 _Oh Arceus. Oh Arceus she’s **her** **e.** She’s really here._ She tries to get a glance but she can’t see very well as Dr. Williams has passed the infant into one of the paediatrician’s waiting arms where immediately they set about wiping her body clean of blood and fluid before placing her on a set of scales. After a few seconds Sonia hears a loud, shrill cry and while she finds that it’s usually an annoying sound when she’s sat near a crying baby on a train, she thinks _this_ might just be the most beautiful sound she’s ever heard in her life. She quickly glances at Leon, who’s jaw is hanging open, his face pale and disbelieving. She sees a pair of scissors, which is the only indication she has that this twin’s placenta has just been delivered as well (she doesn’t remember pushing it out as she’s so caught up in trying to catch a glimpse of the newborn) and that her umbilical cord is being cut.

“She’s all good,” one of the paediatricians, a woman with long mahogany hair tucked into a net, says as she gently urges her way past the midwives to place the bundle into Sonia’s arms, “Six pounds, four ounces. Perfectly healthy.”

Sonia’s eyes widen as she finally takes in the sight of her daughter, who is quite possibly the most perfect thing she’s ever laid eyes on. Her skin is slightly darker than hers, though a tad bit lighter than Leon’s. The few tufts of hair on her head are dark and flecked with blood. There’s a mark on her head from where she was attached to that clip. Dark eyes look at her as the infant’s cries gradually ease. Everything about her is tiny, from her nose to her toes, which are sticking out from underneath the pastel orange blanket she’s tucked in. She’s not sure if she’s holding her right, but given that nobody seems to be correcting her, she assumes it’s fine. She’s definitely making sure to support her little head.

“Leon-” she starts, feeling the tears begin to slide out of her eyes effortlessly as she turns to her partner, who’s jaw is still slack, like he can’t believe his eyes, “She’s _beautiful.”_

He doesn’t speak, but his mouth continues to hang open like a Magikarp. She’d laugh if she wasn’t so emotional.

“I think we’re ready for baby number two,” Eleanor calls over and Hope has to gently pry the newborn out of Sonia’s arms because she’ll need to focus all of her energy on pushing again, “Would Daddy like to hold her?”  
  
“I-” Leon hesitates, seeming torn, like he wants to be there to hold Sonia’s hand but at the same time that’s _his daughter_ and she’s _right there_. Sonia reassuringly smiles up at him, giving his hand a gentle squeeze before letting him go, “Go on, dandelion. Say hello.”

He nods with a nervous gulp, before Hope traverses past the crowd of professionals and gently passes her to him while helping him to position his arms carefully. His eyes widen and when Sonia is done with another round of pushing she can see that they’re also glassy, like he’s holding back tears. He’s looking at her like she’s the most precious thing in the world as he tentatively runs a thumb over the baby girl’s tiny squishy cheek and repeatedly murmurs, “Oh my _Arceus…”_

She can’t focus too much on the wonderful sight of her partner and newborn daughter bonding however, as there’s another baby that needs to enter the world, another daughter she needs to greet and marvel over. She’s getting tired though, so _very_ tired. She’s not sure if she has the stamina to keep going. When she glances at the clock she can see it took nearly forty five minutes of pushing just to bring her _first_ child into the world…

The midwives seem to sense this, “Are you alright?”  
  
“I’m fine,” she groans weakly, “Just tired…”

“We might need to intervene,” Dr. Williams states calmly, “Possibly forceps or ventouse.”

Sonia’s read about those beforehand during her nights spent researching on what she could expect from labour. She’s not entirely keen on the idea of having what amounts to tongs or a vacuum being inserted into her nether-regions and having them assist on delivering her baby so she blurts out, “You don’t need to, I can do this!”

“It’s not only the fact that you’re tired,” Dr. Williams informs her kindly, “I’m also concerned about your baby. Since your first baby was born, your waters have started showing signs of having meconium in them which signals to us that your unborn child could be in distress, possibly tired. The heart rate has slightly changed as well. I’m just trying to think of your baby’s safety as well as yours.”

Sonia bites her lip, shooting a look at Leon who is paling again while he cradles their firstborn against his chest. _If that’s the case, then there’s nothing for it,_ “Then do what you have to.”

“Right. Forceps,” Dr. Williams asks and he is quickly passed what looks like smooth, metal tongs. He turns to face Sonia apologetically, “We’ll need to perform an episiotomy, I think.”

“What’s that?” Leon blurts out in worry, especially when Sonia slowly nods with a reluctant, pained wince.

“A vaginal cut,” Hope tells him gently, “To make the hole bigger.”

He visibly cringes, “But she’s already had one baby just fine, why does she need to have her…” his cheeks turn red, _“down there_ made bigger? Wouldn’t the first baby have done that?”

“Not necessarily enough,” Dr. Williams replies thoughtfully as he grabs some more equipment necessary to make the cut, “Not in this case at least. I wouldn’t be doing it if I didn’t think it was entirely necessary.”

He falls silent at that as he looks back at Sonia, his eyes searching hers to see if she’s really okay with this, but she’s already accepted that it’s going to happen whether she likes it or not.

_Anything it takes to make sure our baby’s okay._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I ended up writing this chapter twice because I wasn't satisfied the first time around. I feel it's better than what I initially wrote but there's always going to be times when you wonder if it's good enough. This one was hard to write though. I tried to draw on some of my own personal experiences but none of it seemed to feel right, hence I went with a different approach in the end (after all, I've never had twins either so of course it's going to be different lol) and did a whole bunch of research to at least try and make sure it was somewhat accurate (it's been a long time since I've been in labour myself so my memories are hazy).
> 
> Thanks again! :D


	29. A New Beginning

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She knows it won’t be easy going forward. But much like she always has done, she will try her best. With Leon by her side, maybe she can do anything.

Leon has to marvel at Sonia’s guts. If anyone had dared suggest to him that _he_ would need to be cut downstairs, he’d be shitting his pants. Heck, seeing the doctor at work, hearing the snipping of the scissors makes him want to cross his legs tightly but it’s not exactly an easy feat at present, not with his new daughter settling into his arms and closing her eyes. He tries to focus on her and on Sonia’s face because the last thing either of them need right now is for him to turn into a mess over this.

He desperately tries not to think of it as Sonia’s bits being mutilated. Like the doctor said, it’s necessary. He’s not a doctor and he can hardly argue against it if Sonia’s already agreed (albeit reluctantly). He watches her as she lifts her head back and squeezes her eyes shut. He wishes he could take her hand to reassure her but he’s not entirely sure if he feels confident holding their newborn with only one arm yet. What if he _drops_ her?

Finally the snipping finishes and he can at least breathe a sigh of relief that he doesn’t have to hear that sound any more because it’s making his skin crawl. He can’t imagine what it must be doing to _her._ Out of the corner of his eye he sees Dr. Williams pick up the tongs and insert them into Sonia, manoeuvring until he seems to have found what he’s looking for, “Right, ready? Push,” he urges and Sonia obeys with a quiet grunt, tears still silently running down her cheeks.

They stay like that for around another five minutes before finally, _finally_ Dr. Williams claims that the second baby has been born – another female, this one born at 12.32 am. It only now occurs to Leon that his daughters, despite being twins, have separate birthdays. He’s not sure how he feels about that.

He watches as the paediatricians take the tiny child and set to work on cleaning her and weighing her (five pounds, thirteen ounces) and then cutting her cord once her placenta’s been delivered. In all that time though, he doesn’t hear anything, not like he did with the baby currently resting in his arms.

“Why isn’t she crying?” Sonia asks, her tone tinged with desperation and fear, “Is there something wrong with her?”  
  
“She’s just taking a little while to get started,” the female paediatrician tells her as her colleague, a bloke with short, spiky red hair continues to work on her and after a moment, Leon finally is able to breathe a sigh of relief as he hears another cry, though this one sounds weaker and smaller, which doesn’t completely assuage his worries.

“She seems to be fine,” the male paediatrician tells them with a reassuring smile as he lifts the tiny baby and places her in Sonia’s waiting arms, “A little tired from her ordeal, but she seems otherwise healthy. The marks on the side of her head from the forceps should heal perfectly fine within a day or two without any intervention.”

Leon can see them, little red marks adorn the side of his second daughter’s face and it makes him wince. He didn’t think that she would have to be hurt as well, though he’s relieved that no skin seems to be broken, not like the infant currently in his arms who has a small scratch on her head from where she was attached to a clip. He glances from one twin to the other, not noticing very much difference in their appearances aside from the aforementioned marks. The baby in Sonia’s arms seems to be smaller though, with more tufts of hair on her head which is sticking up seemingly of its own will.

Dr. Williams sets about stitching up Sonia while she gazes at their new addition, lifting her tiny hands and stroking her little fingers. Leon briefly turns his attention back to the sleeping bundle in his arms, who hasn’t shifted once since she’s dozed off and seems to have no clue that her sister has entered the world as well. Even the crying doesn’t seem to have disturbed her. _Guess she’s going to be the sort that could sleep through a storm or something._

“Hey.”

His attention is swiftly diverted back to Sonia who’s now looking at him, eyes still full of tears but with a weak smile, “Are you okay?”

It takes him a couple of minutes to register what she’s really asking him but when he does he nods dumbly, “Yeah. Are you?”

“I think so.”

“Even though your lady parts have been… you know?”

“I don’t feel anything right now. And… well it was worth it, wasn’t it? She’s safe and healthy,” she tells him, lightly lifting their second daughter up for him to see, not that she needs to. He can see her perfectly clearly, can see that she’s every bit as perfect as her sister.

_They’re both perfect, like their mother._

He almost voices that, but before he can Hope the midwife is approaching them, “Have you decided on your baby’s names?”

“Um… we’ve definitely picked one of them,” Sonia says, her cheeks turning a faint shade of pink, “Heather Hazel.”

“Which one?”

“I don’t know,” she murmurs, glancing down at the tiny form in her arms before looking back at Leon, “I’m not sure.”

He bites his lip, shooting a quick glance down to the infant in his own arms before he replies honestly and hoarsely, “I think this one’s Holly.”

Sonia blinks, “What?”

“I just… I don’t know. Alyssa or Violet doesn’t feel right now that I can look at her,” he glances down at the daughter snoozing in his arms again, ignoring the heat that he feels rising in his cheeks, “I think this one’s a Holly. And… I was thinking, maybe her middle name could be my mum’s name? I mean, I know it’s not really within the theme you wanted but… I think it’d mean a lot. If that’s alright with you?”

She lets out a slight shaky inhale before nodding, “Okay. So… we have both of their names then. This,” she gestures to the tiny form she’s currently holding, “is Heather Hazel.”

“It suits her,” Hope remarks fondly.

“And that’s Holly Eva,” Sonia finishes, nodding towards the baby Leon’s holding.

The older woman positively beams, “I’ll see about getting that information printed off for their red books.”

“Red books?”

“Every child receives a red book, which is their personal child health record. It’s used to record their height, weight, vaccinations and other important information. You’ll get them as soon as they’re ready, definitely before you’re discharged I should think.”

“Oh, I see,” Sonia remarks with a very light shrug, “Um, okay then. If I can ask… when will I be discharged?”

Dr. Williams is the one that speaks up, “You’ll definitely need to stay in for at least for twenty-four hours. A multiple birth coupled with the fact that we’ll need to keep an eye on your stitches means that you should ideally stay in for observation for at least twenty four hours, providing there are no complications.”

She seems a little crestfallen at that, “Alright.”

“But on the bright side, we have prepared a private room for you,” Eleanor interjects, “We thought you might like the privacy. I imagine being famous isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. The paparazzi has apparently been lurking around outside the hospital.”

 _“What?”_ Sonia splutters suddenly, _“How?_ How do they _know?_ We only told people we trust!”

Eleanor shrugs, “I’m not sure. Perhaps someone saw you two coming in and worked out what was going on?”

Leon chews his lip again with an annoyed sigh, “It’s not like we were discreet or anything, Son.”

The redhead grumbles out a swear. Leon feels a stab of guilt in his chest, “So what does this mean?”

“We won’t be telling them anything if you don’t want us to,” Hope reassures them, “They _certainly_ won’t be allowed on the ward, and when the time comes for you to leave, I’m sure we can arrange something with security to ensure you don’t come across any of them if you don’t want to. It’s disgraceful behaviour really. The _last_ thing a woman needs after she’s just given birth.”

Eleanor chimes in, “Anyway, this private room I mentioned … you’re both welcome to stay in there. That includes overnight.”

“I can _stay?”_ Leon’s eyes widen in surprise and Eleanor nods enthusiastically, “It’s not something most hospitals offer but we do occasionally have some space left to allow for it.”

Sonia automatically holds Heather closer to her chest, “I don’t their faces plastered all over the media, Leon. I don’t mind them being told they’ve been _born_ but-”

“Okay,” he murmurs, nodding at her all the while wishing he could be confident enough to balance Holly on one arm so he could hold her hand, “That’s fine. I agree with you,” he turns to Eleanor and Hope, “So about those security arrangements…”

* * *

Sonia didn’t think she’d want visitors so soon after the twins had been born. She always imagined that she’d be too tired to want anything to do with anyone outside of Leon and the twins. But now that it’s finally day time and she’s settled into their private room she wants nothing more than to see Nessa and Hop and Gloria and her grandparents. She muses that perhaps it’s all the adrenaline that’s now flowing through her because even though she’s exhausted she also feels wide awake.

Leon seems to feel the same, as once he’s had a cuddle with Heather and both babies have been put in their little beds he’s on his feet pacing madly, and she’s distinctly reminded of their childhood, specifically the day he first got the Charmander he’d wanted all of his life. Now _there’s_ someone who’s worn holes in Gran’s carpet.

“I really _should_ pop back home to check in on Haxorus and the rest,” he murmurs to himself, frantically running a hand through his hair, “And I really need to make sure everything’s ready for the girls when we bring them home.”

“The paparazzi’s still outside,” Sonia tells him, trying to stay calm which isn’t all that easy when her boyfriend is moving so much it makes her tired just watching him, “We don’t want to tip them off to any of our arrangements with security.”

“I _know,”_ he whines, “But how-”

“Maybe Raihan could do it?” she suggests, the thought dropping into her mind almost instantly because now that she thinks about it, it’s _perfect,_ “Hammerlocke’s not _that_ far away from Wyndon. And didn’t you say you gave him spare keys a while ago?”

“I did… are you still sure that doesn’t bother you?” he asks earnestly, “Him having keys, I mean?”

She rolls her eyes in exasperation, “I told you before, so long as he doesn’t turn up without warning us beforehand I’m fine with it.”

“Right… that’s a good idea actually,” he licks his lips, “Should I pop outside and call him then?”

“No need,” she says with a smile, now ready to suggest what she’s _really_ been thinking of doing, “I think Eleanor said there’s a new service where patients can video call their loved ones. Apparently it’s kind of like the app I used when I needed to call Professors Sycamore and Kukui to delay my visits to them?”

He grins at her slyly, immediately catching on, “You just want to talk to Nessa don’t you?”

“Well, I might not want anyone visiting in person but… I would like to at least _talk_ to everyone. Introduce them to our girls. Is… is that okay?”

He nods, biting his lip, “Sure, that’s fine. Saves me getting lost as well,” he chuckles in embarrassment, “So how does this thing work?”

“I don’t know. Maybe buzz somebody to come along and help?”

He does just that, pressing the buzzer by the side of her bed hesitantly. About ten minutes later a midwife turns up and she sets about explaining how the service works, pointing towards a tablet which is attached to the wall and tapping on a few options, “Just insert all of the numbers you wish to call and see if they answer.”

“Thank you,” Sonia tells her softly, to which the midwife mumbles out a harried “you’re welcome” before swiftly leaving to answer another buzzer. Leon watches as she immediately taps in her gran’s RotomPhone number, then Nessa’s, then Gloria’s (she thinks it’s a safe assumption that Hop is with her given that he moved in with her only last week), then Leon’s mum’s before finally she asks him to input Raihan’s number.

Sonia’s gran is the first to answer, and her granddad is there beside her beaming with joy at the sight of her, “Hello, love!” he says happily, “How are you? Have you had the little ones yet?”

“Yeah,” she laughs, “Sorry, I’m just waiting for everyone else to answer.”

“Are they alright?” he persists as if she hasn’t said anything and she nods, “Yeah, both just fine. They’re sleeping right now. I’ll show you in a minute.”

“And you?” Gran asks with a raised eyebrow, “Are you well?”

“Fine,” she says, her mouth moving a mile a minute now that she’s got someone other than Leon to talk to – someone who _hasn’t_ met her daughters yet, “I mean, I had to have stitches and the twins have little marks on them but otherwise they’re fine.”

 _“Stitches?!”_ she hears a loud remark, and as she glances over the screen she sees that Nessa’s joined the call, “Wow, you got unlucky, didn’t you?”

“It’s fine.”

Eventually, Gloria and Hop’s faces appear, both of them beaming as Hop excitedly calls out a hello to his brother despite him being _right there_ but Leon’s always been pretty good at dealing with this so he isn’t remotely bothered. Leon’s mum then answers, her eyes swimming with pride at the sight of her eldest son.

“Where the fuck is Raihan?” Leon asks sharply. The rest of them look confused.

“I don’t know, probably too busy shagging Piers to notice?” Gloria quips, only for Leon’s mum to chide her for being tasteless. Sonia bites back a laugh. Even if she’s not her child, Eva has always treated Gloria as if she was - mostly due to the fact that she’s known the girl since she was in nursery. She’s always acted motherly towards Sonia, now that she really thinks about it. Maybe, somehow, she’s always known that this is where she and Gloria were meant to be.

“Oi, pack that shit in, I’m right here,” a breathless male voice suddenly appears through the speakers and she can see in the bottom corner Raihan’s chirpy and cheerful looking face, though she distinctly spots Piers in the background. Raihan’s wearing a wrinkled orange t-shirt that appears to have been hastily thrown on. Piers, from what she can see as he glances over at the screen, looks knackered and… is he _blushing?_

“Good,” Leon jibes, “Because I’m going to need to ask a favour of you, mate. That is, if you’re not _too_ busy.”

“Told you he was shagging-”  
  
_“Gloria.”_

“Sorry, Ms. Hayes.”

“How are you both?” Eva asks them, her eyes glimmering as she seems to take in the appearance of the two of them, “Did it go well?”

“It went alright, stitches aside,” Sonia jokes, because if she doesn’t joke about it then she might just cry, “They’re both healthy and sleeping right now.”

“Weights?”

“Six pounds four and five pounds thirteen.”

“Can we see?” Hop remarks, practically bobbing up and down with excitement, “If that’s alright with you, that is?”

Gran looks firm, “Don’t wake them if it’s not necessary, dear.”

“Don’t worry, we’re using a tablet. We won’t need to disturb them.”

She gently shifts herself as best as she can, which isn’t easy given that everything still feels quite strange below a certain point, and directs the tablet towards Holly, who’s snoozing in the bed on her left, swaddled in an orange blanket and looking like nothing’s going to disturb her. Sonia can vaguely hear contented aww’s and coos on the other end, mostly by Nessa of all people which makes Sonia wonder if she might end up deciding to have a child earlier than she initially thought. Not that it’s any of her business, but it _would_ be pretty cool for her girls to have a friend, even if said friend would be all the way in Hulbury or perhaps Turffield.

She shifts again, using her arms to help her roll over so she can point the tablet at Heather who is resting in the bed on her right. The same coos are heard again which only serves to make her smile. She spots Heather’s arms jerking though which almost makes her drop the tablet out of worry until she hears her grandparents and Leon’s mum laughing softly, assuring her that it’s normal for a newborn to have those sort of reflexes.

“You said you had a favour to ask me?” Raihan asks, eventually breaking his long silence and he sounds so quiet and serious that Sonia finds it quite strange.

“Oh yeah,” Leon chuckles nervously, his hand jumping into his hair again, “Would you mind coming up to the flat and checking everything’s alright? I… left Haxorus out of her Poké Ball.”

Raihan shrugs on the other end, “Sure. Might take me a bit to get up there though.”

“I take it we interrupted something?”

Piers still hasn’t said a word from behind Raihan but they notice him grumbling something under his breath as he walks out of view. Probably something about needing a coffee, knowing him. Sonia frowns, “What’s up with him?”

“He’s just embarrassed,” Raihan remarks quickly, enough to make Sonia suspect he’s not being entirely honest, “You didn’t exactly catch us at the best time and you know how he is when it comes to letting people see his, ahh… _soft side_. _”_

“To be fair,” Leon remarks, seemingly none the wiser, “There _is_ a line, mate. I don’t think I’d be okay with it if you and a bunch of other people saw _me_ right after-” he remembers his mum and brother are there as well as Sonia’s _grandparents_ and he flushes, “Well, you know.”

Raihan snorts, “Really? Thought you’d be a proper exhibitionist given how much of a showman you are.”

 _“Anyway,”_ Sonia intervenes, sparing Leon (and her, admittedly) the embarrassment of having to continue this conversation in front of their families, “We just need someone to check on the Pokémon, make sure everything’s all ready. We’ve got some stuff here in my bag, probably enough to get us through the hospital stay but…”

“Make sure everything’s hunky dory at your home, got it. Give me some time and I’ll head on over.”

 _“I_ could have done that,” Hop pouts, “I live here now, you know.”

Before Leon can say anything in reply to that, their mum has intervened, “You don’t have a key, sweetie. Probably because you’ve always lived so far away before now.”

“Yeah, that’s probably it,” Leon replies and Sonia has the gut feeling that it might be more along the lines of him thinking his brother was too young on top of the reason Eva seems to be suggesting, “But I’ll tell you what, since you’re living up here now I’ll get one cut for you soon, yeah?”

 _“Really?_ Is that alright?”

“Yeah, so long as you let us know you’re coming ahead of time and don’t just turn up,” Sonia tells him kindly and she notices Leon sending her a grateful look which leaves her feeling warm inside, “I don’t see a problem with that.”

A sharp, shrill cry interrupts the conversation, causing Sonia’s attention to instantly flick to the baby on her right, who’s now wide awake with her face scrunched up and letting out loud wails. Her eyes meet Leon’s and he nods, instantly scooping Heather up and passing her over. She turns back to the tablet monitor and blushes, “I… think we’d better go now.”

Everybody seems to be perfectly fine with that. There are a couple more aww’s that she hears from Nessa before she signs out with a blown kiss in the infant’s direction. Raihan vanishes quickly, mumbling something about needing to check on Piers before he heads over to their flat. Hop and Gloria promise to pop over as soon as they’re home and settled before they too disappear equally as fast (too fast for Leon’s liking, or so Sonia thinks as he looks rather suspicious and a little bit dismayed). His mum vanishes with a knowing smile and a message of love for the both of them. Her grandfather smiles at her with that same crinkling smile she’s known since childhood and tells her he loves her before he gets to his feet, remarking that he needs to get back to his garden ‘before those poxy Skwovets end up pinching all the berries again’.

Now there’s only Gran, who gives her a small smile on the other end of the call as she watches Sonia hold Heather and whisper gently to her. The redhead is so focused on trying to calm her daughter that she almost misses the old woman say, in the warmest and gentlest tone she may have possibly ever have used, “I am so proud of you, Sonia.”

* * *

Neither of them get any sleep that night. It’s not that they don’t want to – they’re bloody exhausted after being awake for over twenty four hours, but it’s damn near impossible to fall asleep when one or occasionally both of their newborn daughters start wailing the second they’re placed back in their hospital cribs. It’s rather frustrating, and Sonia attempts to latch them on for a feed but they don’t suck for long (mostly because she’s been told they’re not quite as hungry for the first day or so after being born).

She leaves most of the nappy changing to Leon, since it’s not like he’s getting much in the way of sleep either, it’s good practice for him and it hurts her to move around too much. The epidural has chosen a lousy time to wear off… though then again, she’d probably say that regardless of when it happened. Her nether regions _sting_ and she can’t even sit without feeling pain. Walking (of the little of it she’s done, mostly to the loo and back) is equally as painful. She wonders how much of that is down to the episiotomy so the only slight reprieve she gets is lying down. She does get a good look at whatever mess the twins leave behind though, if only because Leon keeps commenting on how much it looks like dark green marmite.

Mostly, it seems like her daughters just want to be held. When Sonia thinks about it from a logical standpoint, she supposes it makes sense. They’d spent nine months in such a confined space, and now they’re faced with all this _space_ and everything’s so _different_ for them. She remembers her experiences growing up watching her gran hatching Pokémon for upcoming trainers – those little guys reacted similarly at first to being outside of the snugness of their eggs. Maybe humans and Pokémon aren’t as different as people think they are.

So she’s spent a majority of her time outside of learning how to latch them onto her just holding one of them close, whispering to them. She doesn’t say anything in particular, mostly just talking about what they had to look forward to once they went home and how Yamper and Applin were going to utterly love them. She knows that the twins were able to hear her when they were inside of her and she’s read about how newborns find the sound of their parents’ voices soothing so at least there’s something she can do even if she’s _exhausted_ and she just wants to _sleep_ _…_

She glances over at Leon in his chair with Heather in his arms, and she almost panics when she sees him starting to doze, “Dandelion, wake up!”

His eyes flicker open and he jerks slightly, “’M awake.”

“You’re dozing off and you’re still holding Heather!”

At that point he snaps upright, shooting a look downwards into his arms as if to make sure his daughter’s alright but the baby doesn’t seem to be bothered or even aware that her father is falling asleep and potentially putting her in a risky position, “Shit, sorry!”

“You will be if you drop her.”

“I’m just so _tired.”_

“And _I’m_ not?”

“You don’t need to bite my head off, I said I was sorry,” Leon pouts at her before turning his focus back to the infant he’s holding.

Sonia bites her lip at the sight of him… she needs to reign herself in so she lets out a sigh, “I’m sorry. Just… I’m so _exhausted._ I mean, I read up on everything ahead of time, all about what to expect and everything and… it doesn’t stop the reality from hitting you like a truck, if you know what I mean?”

“A bit,” he murmurs, shifting in the chair slightly to try and get more comfortable, “Same thing happened when I became Champion. Like, I knew there’d be some work involved and that it wouldn’t just all be battling but I still underestimated just _how much_ I was going to need to do. So I think I get it.”

She licks her quivering lips, “I knew that there were going to be sleepless nights. I told myself I could handle it and yet… this is only the _first_ night and I’m not handling it as well I thought I would have.”

“To be fair, we’ve both been up for over twenty-four hours _and_ we’re in hospital, not at home. Maybe things will get better?”

She smiles wryly, “Look at you, being all optimistic.”

“Hardly,” he snorts, “I’m just not being a pessimist.”

“I’m not-” she cuts herself off, now feeling unsure. Maybe she _is_ feeling pessimistic. She’d gone into this whole thing expecting that everything was going to be perfect, that the twins would both be born completely naturally and that it would be love at first sight and while yes, she _did_ love them and she _is_ amazed by the fact that they’re now here, she also can’t help but feel some resentment, mostly towards herself but also somewhat towards Leon. She’s not ready for this, not as much as she honestly believed she would be and while she’s good at putting a brave face on in front of her family and friends when it’s needed, she doesn’t feel so brave right now, especially now that the adrenaline as well as her pain relief has completely worn off, the intense stinging downstairs constantly reminding her that she couldn’t even get a child out of her body on her own, that she couldn’t do what her body was meant to do. _I’m guessing this is what they call the baby blues? I don't know._

She chews her lip, “Okay, maybe I am just a bit.”

“Well, it’s not like we’re going to be getting any sleep,” he yawns, “Want to talk about it?”

“Just… ” she holds Holly against her, looking down at her and then looking over towards Heather in Leon’s arms and she _hates herself_ because she didn’t quite feel the same rush of love towards her younger daughter that she felt when she first held Holly after she was born and looking at either of the girls now just leaves her feeling rather numb, “I don’t know. I’m… angry I suppose.”

“Do you know why?”

She nods slowly, closing her eyes and trying to hold back a sniffle, “Why couldn’t I do it?”

“What do you mean?” Leon asks, frowning at her.

“I just… I feel like I’ve let them down a bit. Well, Heather more than Holly, I guess. She… I mean, I pushed _Holly_ out just fine, so why couldn’t I do the same with Heather?”

His jaw hangs open slightly and he doesn’t say anything. The silence isn’t helping her because she’s now starting to wonder if maybe _he_ resents her too, because those little marks on the sides of Heather’s face wouldn’t _be_ there if she’d just been able to do things on her own.

_For fuck’s sake, not even twenty-four hours and I’m already a failure._

She feels the side of her bed dip slightly and it’s only then that she notices he’s sitting on the end of it, Heather still curled into his chest. He’s smiling, “I can’t pretend I get this but… I thought you did pretty good. I mean, just pushing out one looked hard enough… and you had two of them!”

“But-”

“But nothing. You did _good._ I don’t think _I’d_ have been able to go through what you have. I’m so fucking _proud_ of you after seeing you do all that. So please don’t feel like you’ve, I don’t know, _failed_ or something because you _haven’t,”_ he pauses for a moment, and it seems like he’s deep in thought, “Maybe… maybe it would help if you were to talk to Dr. Williams about why it happened? It might give you some closure.”

She sighs shakily, “Maybe.”

“It’s going to be okay, Sonia. Please stop doubting yourself. You’re _brilliant.”_

She nods, tears slowly running down her cheeks as he leans forward tentatively and presses a soft kiss against her forehead, “If you say so.”

“I _do_ say so,” he murmurs as Heather shifts in his arms, her tiny face wrinkling up into the beginning of what looks like another crying session, “You can do anything, remember?”

She vaguely remembers him saying something like that to her before. Probably on that fateful night when the twins were conceived, after they’d already knocked back a few drinks and had started flirting with each other. _We’ve come so far since then._

She looks at him gazing down at Heather with nothing less than pure adoration and it warms her heart and soul, “And you? Are you feeling alright?”

He looks up and grins at her and she can see that trademark confidence he’s always shown off, but it doesn’t seem quite as artificial as it did before, “I’ll get there. I have you, don’t I?” he looks down, first at Holly in her arms, then Heather in his and he looks determined, “I won’t let myself be like him, Sonia.”

“I know you won’t. Because you’re _not_ like him,” she remarks with a tired exhale and a desire to get onto a different topic of discussion, “By the way, why _haven’t_ you given Hop a key yet?”

He shrugs lightly, “Mostly for the reasons mum said… but truthfully? I kind of forgot to.”

“But you remembered to cut one for Raihan?”

“Raihan always wound up kipping at mine during the Cup when I was Champion so it made sense just to give him a spare key. But I know, I should’ve gotten one for Hop.”

“I’m not _lecturing_ you, you know,” she giggles quietly as Heather fusses, Leon gently rocking her back and forth while whispering gentle words to her, “I was just surprised.”

He doesn’t have anything to say to that, mostly because he’s so focused on Heather, on her tiny dark eyes which are scrunched shut and her tiny fingers which have wrapped around his larger index one. Sonia allows her body to relax a little bit more, glancing down at Holly who’s starting to stir herself. Maybe Leon’s right. Maybe she will be brilliant. Maybe a discussion with Dr. Williams might be just what she needs to come to terms with things so she can move forward to be the best mum she can possibly be to both of her new daughters. If it’s not, then she’ll keep talking about it. She’ll keep trying, keep pushing onwards.

She knows it won’t be easy going forward. But much like she always has done, she will try her best. With Leon by her side, maybe she _can_ do anything.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Confession: when my daughter was born via emergency c-section I went through a period of feeling guilty that I wasn't able to have her naturally. It took me a good while to get over that. I kind of wanted to write about that somehow and let people know that it isn't their fault if things end up not turning out the way they planned. :)
> 
> Only the epilogue to go!


	30. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything was going to be okay from now on. She just knew it.

“Here comes the Charizard! Open _wi-i-ide…_ ” Leon sing-songs as he waves a small spoonful of banana porridge towards his six month old daughter’s mouth. Holly giggles in her high chair, opening her mouth in reply as the spoon gently slides into her mouth, leaving behind a mess of yellow blended food and saliva on the infant’s lips. He beams with pride, “Good girl, Princess!”

He glances over towards his other daughter, who has her Uncle Hop attempting to feed her (substituting ‘Charizard’ for ‘Haxorus’ because as of recently Leon and Sonia had to put their Pokémon’s names into rotation - all of them adored the twins and they’d get upset if their names were left out for too long), and he’s not doing too badly a job, though he is a tad overenthusiastic. Heather has to calm down from a laughing fit every single time before he can even get the spoon into his younger niece’s mouth. From the kitchen table their mother watches her two sons fondly, her cheek resting in the palm of her hand.

“They’re getting so _big_ now,” his mum murmurs for probably the tenth time since she got off of the train in Wyndon Station that morning, “I honestly forgot how much time flies with little ones.”

Leon can’t argue with that. Even though he’s been with the twins every single day, he can’t deny that time has flown since the two infants have entered the world six months ago. From their somewhat more complex than expected birth, to their first smiles when they were roughly eight weeks old that wasn’t anything to do with them needing to let off gas, to their first holiday period together when they were three months old… it’s been a heck of a ride, to be sure. Not always a happy one, mind, what with Sonia having baby blues for the first couple of weeks or so which meant there were a lot of tears all around (the fact that Heather developed jaundice and there were concerns that she might have to stay in hospital for treatment didn’t help) and the sheer fact that neither of them could remember what it felt like to have a whole night of undisturbed sleep.

But all in all, he’d say it’s all proving to be mostly worth it so far. He didn’t think it was possible to love his little princesses as much as he does and so far, he’s been pretty good about keeping his word on not being like his father. Sure, he gets frustrated at times, but he’s trained himself to take a time out when it gets to that point and with the help of his therapist and Sonia, he’s able to confidently say that he’s doing a pretty decent job. Not perfect, but then again, nobody can possibly be perfect.

“I think me and Glor are going to hold off on having kids for quite a long while,” Hop remarks quietly after using the spoon to collect the remaining goop dripping from Heather’s bottom lip.

“I should bloody well hope so,” their mum says before Leon can even think to voice those exact words, “You’re both _far_ too young and you’ve yet to finish your apprenticeship.”

“It’s not an apprenticeship, mum. I’m a proper lab assistant. _And_ I’m legally an adult now!”

“I know you are, sweetie. Though as for your job, it may as well be an apprenticeship. I assume you still want to be a professor? What’s an apprenticeship if not to train you for just that?”

“I suppose,” the younger of the two men puffs his chest out proudly, “Don’t worry mum. I’m working hard, and so is Gloria. She’s not looking to give up the Champion title so easily.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Leon replies, whizzing another spoon of banana porridge into Holly’s eager mouth, “She’s _way_ too talented to throw in the towel just yet. She _at least_ needs to hold the position for as long as I did.”

“I reckon that won’t be hard for her to do,” Hop says with a cheeky grin as he prepares another spoon of baby food for Heather, “She _thrashed_ you in your battle last week.”

“You don’t need to remind me,” Leon groans, running a hand down his face. Granted, he knows his team has gotten a lot stronger and he reckons he damn well could have had Gloria had he not been so distracted worrying about whether or not the twins were going to be alright with their new childcare provider so both of them could work. Sonia especially had been up a lot at night worrying about it, mostly because she’s never really been apart from them for longer than a couple of hours and she’d said that she feels like she’s failing them by not being home with them. But she’s a professor at her core and he knows that despite how much she loves their daughters, she also misses doing research and having time to just be an adult among other adults.

“How have things been with the new chairwoman, by the way?” their mum asks, finger trailing around the edge of her empty cup.

“Alright, I guess. She definitely seems like she’ll be a good fit after all the time I’ve spent helping her get settled,” Leon shrugs, “Like I mentioned to you over the phone, she’s chairing her first meeting without me today. Should be finishing soon, actually. I just hope Gloria and Gordie behaved.”

She frowns at him, “Why wouldn’t they?”

“You don’t want to know what shenanigans those two get up to during those meetings,” Leon runs a hand through his hair sheepishly, “They can be quite a handful. They mostly make a lot of innuendos or they prank and tease everybody else.”

“I know Gloria can be quite a mischievous young lady but Gordie?” his mum looks genuinely surprised, “I mean, I don’t know the man personally but isn’t he older than you? Shouldn’t he know better?”

“He’s six months younger actually. You’re probably thinking of Milo,” Leon remarks while offering another spoonful of porridge to Holly, “And no, he _really_ doesn’t. It’s funny because when Rose was in charge you never would’ve guessed he could be such a pain in the arse but when I took over… well, I don’t know. Probably had something to do with the fact that Melony handed Circhester Gym down to him full time after Rose got locked up so she doesn’t attend meetings any more as well as me being new to chairman duties. Raihan thinks him and Gloria are hilarious. Sometimes he joins in with them, the bastard.”

“I wonder what Piers says about that.”

“Nothing much, really. I imagine he’s used to it by this point.”

“I know _I’m_ used to Gloria,” Hop chuckles only for his mum to smile at him fondly, “Kind of impossible not to be at this point.”

“Well, you _have_ known each other since you two were three.”

“Yeah,” Hop mumbles, his cheeks slowly flushing as his lips curve into a fond, almost dreamy looking smile, “We’ve changed a lot since then.”

“Don’t I know it?” their mum states and her expression turns into a sly smirk, “Gloria’s mum told me you both went to visit her last weekend.”

“Yeah, we did…” Hop gulps nervously. Leon finds himself feeling very confused by the sudden uncomfortable atmosphere.

“She said you two were being awfully noisy at night.”

“W-what does she mean by that?” Hop’s cheeks flush even brighter.

“Why don’t you tell _me,_ Hoppip?” Eva slides her hand down to her chin and gazes at her son intensely, “How long have you two been doing this?”

Hop’s only reaction is to burst out into splutters, his face now as red as a tomato, “W-we- that is, um, I-I-”

“It’s nothing to be embarrassed about sweetie, I just want to make sure you two are being careful. You don’t want any certain…” she hesitantly glances over at the twins before turning her gaze back towards her youngest son, “ _changes_ to happen to your life before you’re ready for them.”

The realization hits Leon like a high speed train. _Oh. **Oh.** I get it now. Fucking hell, this is uncomfortable. My little brother and Gloria… are they really-? _

Hop puts down the banana porridge jar quickly and pretends to fish through his trouser pockets for his phone, “O-oh, _look_ at the time! I said I’d meet Gloria right about now! Sorry to cut this short but I’ve got to go!”

“Hopcyn Theodore Hayes, don’t you dare!”

“Bye mum, love you!”

Before Leon can even completely register what has just happened, Hop has disappeared out of the door, almost slamming it behind him. His mum lets out an exasperated sigh, “That brother of yours… he always gets so _embarrassed_ when I talk to him about sex.”

Leon shrugs, trying to calm down himself after learning _that_ particular revelation about his younger brother, “Can’t say I blame him. You came on a little strong, mum.”

“I was just concerned, that’s all,” she runs a hand through her hair – clearly this is a habit Leon thinks he’s picked up from her, “We’ve already had one unplanned pregnancy and while I absolutely adore the girls… I don’t particularly think that would be good for Hop and Gloria. Especially not right now.”

“Oh, I agree completely,” he nods. _I cannot agree more actually._ “It just kind of… came out of the blue. Truth be told, I don’t think I feel entirely comfortable talking about my kid brother having sex either.”

She frowns at him, appearing a little amused, “I thought you were the one who gave him ‘the talk?’ I did ask if you wouldn’t mind.”

“No, I never got around to it,” he shakes his head viciously, “I _meant_ to but… well, if I had I think he might have died of embarrassment. I just assumed he learnt it when he was at school so it wasn’t necessary. Didn’t exactly want to think about him losing his innocence either.”

“Understandable,” she says quietly, her hands gripping her cup tighter between her hands, “That’s… that’s something a _father_ should talk to his son about, really. Not an older brother.”

He finds himself tensing, “…Yeah. Maybe.”

She looks guilty, like she has something she wants to say to him but cannot quite find the words. He cannot quite place why but the silence is concerning. So with a sigh he puts the lid on the top of the banana porridge jar and puts it back into the fridge. Perhaps he could buy her time to think of how to word whatever it is she wants to talk about, “Would you be okay with helping me bath them so I can put them down for their naps?”

She smiles though it seems somewhat distant, like she’s drowning in thoughts of something, and she nods. Together they silently manage to clean the twins’ almost identical messy faces and fingers up before he heads into the bathroom and pulls out identical pink baby baths out from the cupboard, placing them directly on the floor. They spend some time gently running warm water through the twins’ hair. Heather in particular seems to have somehow managed to get banana porridge in her hair, not that he minds spending a little time gently removing the baby food from his daughter’s plum-coloured fringe. His mother is equally as gentle as she affectionately runs her hands through Holly’s burgundy strands. Afterwards they dry the twins, his mother remarking on how well-behaved the girls are while Leon holds Heather and praises her for being such a good little princess.

After dressing them and putting them down into their cots (as they’ve now outgrown their Moses baskets) they sit for a while, watching the two fidget around until they _finally_ close their eyes and drift into sleep.

The two of them return to the kitchen where he sets about wiping down the high chairs, collecting whatever remaining banana porridge he missed earlier when he was sorting out the twins, and puts the kettle on to make his mother another cup of tea. She’s still rather quiet, like she’s deep in thought, though now that the babies are down for their nap he should be able to talk about whatever it is without worrying about getting distracted.

He puts the tea in front of her and she thanks him, not quite meeting his eyes as she takes a sip, “Just how I like it. You’ve gotten a lot better at making tea, sweetheart.”

“Sonia’s grandparents come up every month. It made sense to get a lot of practice in,” he chuckles, “Her gran loves her tea.”

“That she does,” his mum giggles briefly before falling silent again. After a moment or two, she speaks again somewhat hesitantly, “I told you that you would be a brilliant dad, didn’t I? And you are.”

He flushes – even though his mum says that every time she sees him he still doesn’t know how to feel about it, “I don’t know about brilliant. I’m just muddling along, same as anybody else would.”

“No, you really _are._ I mean-” her eyes meet his and they’re shining, like she’s trying to hold back tears, “I’m… amazed. At how _different_ you are from him. It’s like night and day.”

He doesn’t know what to say to that. It appears that she isn’t finished speaking anyhow, “When you were a baby, he never really bothered much. Left most of the work to me. If I had to go out for anything, I had to take you with me because I could guarantee that he wouldn’t lift a finger to look after you. Something about how he worked and I didn’t so it was only fair that I did all the child rearing. That he’d only mess things up anyway. It caused quite a few rows, I’ll tell you that.”

He bites his lip. He’s not sure if he wants to talk about his dad. Granted, he’s come so very far thanks to therapy and Sonia’s support but… well, even with that it still isn’t pleasant to discuss. But he can sense that his mum needs to talk about him for some reason so he swallows any bitterness he feels down and just focuses on listening.

“He… wasn’t a very good father to you or to your brother,” she says quietly, looking down again at her clasped hands resting on the table, “I know that. I… I know he said some awful things both about you and directly _to_ you. And even though I knew all of that… I did nothing.”

“Mum-”

“Just let me finish dandelion, please,” she speaks firmly and Leon forces himself to remain silent though he fidgets uncomfortably in his seat, “I let you down. I was so _scared_ of being left alone to raise you and your brother on my own that I-” she briefly inhales and exhales, starting again, “I may not have been cruel to you myself but I didn’t stop _him_ from being cruel to you and in doing so I… I _enabled_ his behaviour. I chose to believe that most of the things he did was his own strange way of disciplining and showing love for you because it was easier for _me._ I failed you and…” she swallows, “As your mother it was _my_ responsibility to protect you and I didn’t do that. I just want to say I’m _sorry,_ dandelion. I’m so very sorry.”

“Mum, I don’t blame _you_ for anything dad did… ”

“I know you don’t honey. But I blame myself and I have done for a very long time. I feel guilty for not doing what most other mothers would have done. I put myself first instead of my sons. I should have kicked him out the _second_ it became clear he was bullying you and being cruel to you… I always wanted to tell you how sorry I was, but… well, you never liked talking about him and I didn’t want to drag up any bad memories. But… well, now what with the twins and your therapy going as well as it has… I just wanted you to know. I’ll… I’ll understand if you can’t forgive me.”

“There’s nothing to forgive, mum,” Leon says firmly while meeting her eyes, “I was never angry at _you._ You always did all you could to raise me right and boost my confidence. You stuck up for me whenever you heard him saying nasty things. You tried to get us to spend time together to make us closer. It just didn’t work out. All those times he said things to me and I didn’t tell you… that wasn’t your fault either. I… didn’t want to break the family apart,” he lets out a sigh, “but it happened anyway, didn’t it?”

“That wasn’t you either, dandelion. You mustn’t blame yourself for that.”

“Oh, I know that now,” he says, feeling a little more confident as he grins weakly at her, “I don’t blame myself any more. Not as much, anyway. _He_ chose to leave and not come back,” he briefly glances back towards the nursery, “I don’t get how he could have done it though. I don’t think I could _ever_ leave the girls like that. Them and Sonia…” his cheeks heat slightly, “I love them to bits. They’re my world.”

“I know. I can see that in how you look at them every time I see you.”

“Mum…” he doesn’t know why he’s asking this, doesn’t know why he even _wants_ to because it doesn’t even matter any more but since she’s here, he may as well, “Did Dad love me? Truthfully?”

She glances down at her tea, deep in thought, “Despite all of the angry, hurtful remarks and the deplorable way he treated you… I’d like to think somewhere deep down he probably did. That maybe he just really didn’t know how to show it. That maybe he was just constantly filled with so much bitterness and self-loathing that he didn’t know how to express affection for someone who reminded him so much of himself. Or… maybe it had something to do with the fact that he never really wanted kids in the first place but had them anyway because he knew how much having children meant to me. I don’t know. I don’t think it matters much anyhow, not after everything he did. None of it excuses his behaviour in any way.”

“I know,” he chews his lip, “I probably should tell you then… If he ever turns up again, Sonia says she doesn’t want him near the girls.”

“And how do you feel about that?”  
  
“I kind of agree with her, to be honest,” he almost feels bad for admitting it, but he knows that he _never_ wants his daughters to feel the kind of pain his dad pushed onto him and for that reason he’ll fight his hardest to ensure that doesn’t happen, “Does that bother you?”

She shakes her head slowly, her face betraying no opinion on the matter, “No. To be honest, I doubt he’ll come back anyway. If he was going to, he’d have done so long before now. I don’t blame you for wanting to protect those girls.”

“So if he turns up at yours…?”

“I won’t give him any of your contact details. Or your brother’s for that matter. Don’t worry. Like I said, I doubt he’ll turn up again.”

“Thank you, mum,” he gets up, wanders around the table and hugs her while tears begin to run down her face, “For everything.”

“I don’t deserve it but… you’re welcome, I guess,” she says shakily as she returns her eldest son's embrace, “How much longer is Sonia going to be shopping for, do you think?

Leon shrugs, trying to appear nonchalant and not succeeding, “I don’t know. Hopefully she’ll be back soon.”

* * *

In hindsight, Sonia probably should have been more honest with Leon. It’s only going to be a matter of time before he cottons on that her trip to the shops for some new clothes for herself was simply a cover story for her to do what she’s really intent on doing. Granted, she did buy herself a few new outfits so that he would still believe that story (she needed some new clothes anyway as her body hadn’t snapped back into being skinny like she’d hoped it would) and she still doesn’t know how she’s going to break it to him about what she’s really been up to, so she might let it sit until at least after she’s done what she needs to do.

She takes a right to see Wyndon Hospital standing straight ahead of her and with a deep breath, she walks past it. The main building isn’t what she’s here for. Wyndon Hospital is enormous, to the point where it has several off-buildings for different purposes. Most of it, including the maternity unit, is in the central building, but the unit she wants to go to is a little further down.

 _I must be mental,_ she thinks as she spots the building for the unit she wants to go to in the distance and heads towards it, ignoring the jelly-like feeling in her legs, _Absolutely fucking mental._

But she needs to do this. This is going to keep hanging over her otherwise. Finally she arrives at the building she wants, her eyes briefly skimming over the sign she passes on the way.

_Mental Health Inpatient Unit._

Her kidnapping has been difficult for her to get over, though thanks to her counselling sessions she’s been able to develop good coping mechanisms for those occasions when a nightmare strikes her or when she feels trapped and claustrophobic. Leon has also been an absolute star and with the twins to look after, she feels like she has less time to dwell on it. But on those occasions when she is on her own (before last week it would be while the twins were napping and Leon was working while now it’s when Hop nips out for lunch and Leon’s too busy battling to come down to her lab) she can’t help but remember, and while she can come to terms with most of it, there’s still one part niggling at her brain, refusing to let go.

_She mentioned Orre._

What would Oleana know about Orre? Why would she even be interested? Wasn’t she raised in the Galar region? All Sonia really knows is that she was homeless for a good number of years until Rose found her and took her in. Anything prior to that, she hasn’t a clue. Could Oleana have ties to Orre too? To Pyrite Town?

Sonia doesn’t remember much about the region she was born and spent the first eight years of her life in, mostly because she never really ventured outside of Agate Village and Relic Forest. Her grandfather would stay home with her on those occasions when her gran needed to travel (usually to the Pokémon HQ Lab near Gateon Port). It’s not like she didn’t try and plead with her to take her with so she could see all these wonderful places, but Gran was adamant that she needed to stay in school or that her friends would miss her too much. By the time she’d worked up the nerve to ask if she could be taken to Phenac City, her gran had dropped the bombshell that they were moving to Galar. She knows that a new professor has taken over the HQ Lab in recent years (Professor Krane, if she remembers rightly) but that lab had been empty for such a long time prior to that. In the meantime she had to start a new life in Galar, one where she eventually met Leon who warmed her up to the region and made her feel like she was home.

Oleana specifically mentioned Pyrite Town though. She remembers her grandparents telling her about that place. They’d been very clear that it was not a place she would ever want to go to, as it’s a rundown place where a lot of unpleasant people live. Drug dealers, sexual abusers, thieves, petty criminals… you name them, Pyrite Town probably had them. Why on earth would Oleana mention _that_ place?

She shouldn’t care. She knows she probably shouldn’t care. Orre is and always will be a part of her but Galar is her home now and she’s happy here. But the scientist in her keeps picking at her brain, and it won’t rest until her curiosity is sated.

After an extensive chat with some of the care team, she’s led into a room with a transparent screen gazing into the other half of it. It almost feels prison-like, and it almost makes her feel bad for the other woman. Granted, Sonia’s glad Oleana didn’t get sent to prison after that stressful court case, mostly attributed to the fact that psychiatrists were certain she wasn’t of a completely sound mind when she did the things she did, but it still makes Sonia shiver to know that she’s so close to being face to face with her kidnapper from a few months ago. Perhaps she _should_ have accepted the offer of having someone in the room with her…

After a few moments, she finally sees her through the screen. Her hair is slightly longer, more tangled and messy though she’s less pale than what she appeared during the trial and she certainly seems to appear less defeated too. The blank mask is still on though. Sonia has to wonder if she’ll ever not be able to shut her emotions down. Her heart races slightly in her chest and she has to remind herself that she’s fine, she’s on the other side of a screen and in any case, she has her newly evolved Boltund with her tucked away in his Poké Ball (she snuck him in when he refused to let her leave without him).

Oleana regards her with icy blue eyes which look almost hesitant now that she can look right into them, “Professor Magnolia. I must admit I was surprised to hear you wanted to meet with me.”

Sonia licks her lips before starting off with probably the only question it makes sense to ask, “How are you?”

“I cannot complain,” she says calmly, “The staff are accommodating. The food is palatable. The therapy is…” she pauses as if she’s trying to find a fitting word, “insightful. You?”

She’s surprised to even be asked, “I’m… fine, I suppose.”

“Good,” the blonde’s gaze softens slightly and she looks like she wants to say something but she ends up shifting her expression back into a blank stare, “May I ask why have you come here?”

Sonia bites the inside of her cheek, “I… I’ve been thinking a lot. About what happened. And while I can come to terms with some of it, there’s one thing that I can’t stop thinking about.”

“And what might that be?”

“You mentioned Orre.”

“I did.”

“Why?”

“As I said to you then, it wasn’t important.”

“Then why mention it at all?” Sonia bites back, trying her hardest to ignore the feeling of her heart hammering against her chest, “Why mention Pyrite Town? You say it wasn’t important but at the time it seemed like it was important to you.”

She pauses at that, glancing down at her hands before looking up at her, “I wasn’t in my right mind.”

“It still seemed to mean something,” she presses and she probably should stop because really, it’s not any of her business, but she feels like it could provide her some additional closure. Anything to stop those thoughts harassing her during time to herself, “Why did you mention it? Did you come from Orre as well?”

Oleana glares, but then she tilts her head forward into a slight nod, “I can see I’m not going to deter you. If you must know, I was conceived in Orre. My mother was raised in Phenac City.”

“I thought you said you didn’t know anything about your family,” Sonia asks, feeling confused, “That’s what Leon said Rose told him.”

“I had no memory of my family. I didn’t know anything of them until I was in Mr. Rose’s care,” she says with a sigh, “As a teenager, I attended Wyndon Park Comprehensive – one of the top schools in Galar. While I was there, during my breaks I would often do research into other matters. Sometimes, I tried to find information about my family. I wanted to find out where I came from. I was still angry about my previous circumstances and I wanted somebody to blame. I never told Mr. Rose. I didn’t want to cause him any upset.”

“I didn’t have much to go off of. My surname, mostly. I only knew that because of the years I had spent in an orphanage. But given that my surname is rather… unusual, it was enough. I learnt I had family in Phenac City. Travelling was not an option for me as a child, but with a lot of research I was able to find an address so I wrote a letter to them. The letter I received back claimed I was mistaken and asked not to contact them again. It wasn’t until I was an adult that I managed to persuade Mr. Rose that I might have stumbled on something of interest to him overseas and I travelled to Phenac City myself. They reluctantly confirmed that they were my biological family, but that they wanted nothing to do with me. With some coercion, I was able to get a clearer explanation as to why.”

Sonia swallows, her mouth feeling dry. Arceus, she’d already thought being homeless was hard enough – to learn that she was rejected by her birth family? She couldn’t even begin to imagine how much that must have hurt. Oleana doesn’t appear all that bothered though as she continues her tale with that same emotionless expression, “They explained that my mother was a tearaway child. She never obeyed the rules, instead choosing to partake in alcoholism, intercourse and drug-taking. She supposedly frequented Pyrite Town regularly. She had a one night stand there, which resulted in my being conceived.”

“Her parents were very highly regarded in their community and were extremely religious. They had wanted nothing to do with their wild daughter, especially once they learnt she had conceived outside of wedlock. So they sent her to the only person in their family who was willing to take her in – a great-aunt who happened to live in Galar. They made it plain they did not want to see her again, and that I, as a bastard, would not be welcomed by them either. I don’t remember much of anything from my childhood. According to what I’ve been told, my great-aunt raised me herself until she died when I was two. My mother did not want me, nor was she considered fit to be a parent, so I was placed into Motostoke orphanage.”

“Isn’t that the same orphanage Bede came from?”

“The very same,” she smiles wryly and Sonia can’t help but feel a little disturbed, “Unfortunately back then, the orphanage was not up to any sort of high standards – a lot of the staff would sexually abuse pre-teens and teenagers, and they bullied and abused the little ones. Hygiene was non-existent. We were fed very little, were rarely bathed and were expected to be seen and not heard. When I turned ten, one of the staff members stroked my leg and called me a pretty little thing. After that I gathered up the little money I had and ran away to Wyndon, because I wasn’t prepared to stay and endure the same fate some of the other children endured. Mr. Rose was furious upon learning this and he used his finances to take ownership of the orphanage.”

“Hence why he probably went there on the day he fostered Bede,” Sonia finishes, “He was probably checking in to make sure everything was running smoothly.”

“Partly. He also claimed that he liked to visit the orphanage to see the children. He used to say they would remind him of why he was so determined to revive Eternatus. Because it would be for their future or some nonsense along those lines,” Oleana clicks her tongue, “In any case, after learning that my maternal family was not worth my time pursuing I tried to find information about my father.”

“And?”

Oleana fits her with such a glare that she almost quivers under the weight of it - this really _isn’t_ any of her business after all, “As of recently, I’ve yet to learn anything about him, including his whereabouts.”

“I see.”

Oleana smiles again, though this one looks less creepy and more saddened, “I hope that has answered your questions.”

“I… yes, thank you,” Sonia truthfully is starting to regret asking them. Oleana’s in forced therapy and she isn’t allowed to be discharged until it can be proven she’s no longer a danger to society. Who knows how much she might have set her back by, by making her talk about this? “I’m… sorry to have bothered you and I’m sorry about everything bad that has happened to you. No child – no _person_ – deserves to go through what you did.”

The blonde tilts her head at her, “I don’t understand. After everything I have done to you, why are you feeling sorry for me? I think it’s been established that I don’t deserve it.”

“I disagree,” Sonia replies vehemently, “I believe that your upbringing and the people around you play a massive role in moulding you into the person you ultimately become. The nurture vs. nature argument, you know. You… you’ve had a rough time. Is it really any wonder that you would resent people who’ve…” she’s probably going to appear a bit harsh or tactless but it’s the only way she can think of wording it, “who’ve not been as unlucky as you? Leon still had a mum and a brother who loved him. Bede didn’t get quite as abused as you did in the orphanage you grew up in. I can’t blame you for being angry, especially when Rose…”

Oleana’s smile turns wry again, “He wrote me a letter, you know. Mr. Rose. A letter of apology for the pain he has caused me and an offer to reconcile after he has served his sentence.”

Sonia swallows, “Will you accept that offer?”

“I’m not sure,” the blonde looks down at her thin hands before meeting her eyes again, “Truthfully, I don’t think I want to stay in Galar. I was thinking of returning to Orre for a while to see if I can continue to track my father. There’s a possibility he might not be like the scum typical of Pyrite Town. It’s a rather big assumption that all of the people who live there are the same after all. Failing that, I may travel to another region. Fiore sounds interesting. Or perhaps Almia.”

“That sounds nice.”

“In any case, you will not be seeing me again. I imagine many people will be happy about that. I… recognize that I have caused a lot of pain, especially lately, and that my being in pain doesn’t give me the right to inflict pain on others. For the pain I have caused you, I am truly sorry.”

Sonia licks her lips again, “I forgive you.”

“You shouldn’t.”

“Well, I do. I didn’t think I would be able to at first but now… I feel like I need to. And don’t get me wrong, it’s not out of pity or anything, nor is it just for your sake. It’s for me, too. I… need to move on. We all do. That’s… that’s the biggest reason I came here, now that I think about it. To tell you that.”

“I see,” she clicks her tongue again, “Well, if that is all…?”

“Oh! Yes!” Sonia says, glancing at the clock and starting with a jump, “Shit, I just realized what the time was! Leon must be going out of his mind with worry and his mum’s probably gone home by now so he’s probably on his own with both of our girls! Oh, he must be wondering where I am!”

Oleana doesn’t say anything to that, merely mumbles out a strange ‘hmm’ sound in her throat as Sonia gets to her feet.

“Professor.”

She’s startled again, “Yes?”

“Take care of your daughters,” Oleana says, fixing her with a firm stare, “Make sure they know every day that they are loved.”

She nods, biting her lip as she tries not to let her eyes well up, “I will.”

* * *

“Hey babe.”

_“Hey, how was your shopping?”_

“Yeah, it was alright, actually. Went better than I expected. I’m on my way home now. Should be about another ten minutes or so.”

_“Good, the girls have woken up. I’ve given them some more food and they’re now engrossed with watching My Little Ponyta.”_

“Aww, that’s such a good idea. They love the bright colours.”

_“So you’ve got everything you need? You’re okay?”_

“Yeah… I’ll talk to you about it a bit more when I get home. I… may have taken a bit of a detour whilst I was out. There was something I needed to do.”

_“I thought that might have been the case. Don’t worry, I’m not upset about it, just glad you’re alright. See you in about ten minutes then?”_

“Okay. Love you.”

_“Love you too.”_

As Sonia hangs up on her call to Leon, she smiles widely at the beautiful sunset in front of her as she feels a weight lift from her shoulders, just enough that she feels like she can breathe easy for the first time in a while. Everything was going to be okay from now on. She just knew it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaand it's done! OMG, I can't believe I've actually finished a fic, especially one as long as this one turned out to be! I went into this when I was at a low point and writing it, and seeing comments and kudos really helped me get through that rough time. 
> 
> I'd like to write more for this 'verse, probably starting with that Raihan/Piers fic I've been thinking of doing for ages now). It may be a while before I start on writing it though, I want to roughly plan things out first. I have ideas, but it's about motivating myself to start it (I'm quite lazy, I must admit).
> 
> Anyway, THANK YOU so much for joining me and sticking with me on this long journey! I hope the conclusion was okay for everyone. :)


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